Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
July 27, 2007

South Korean Special Envoy Arrives in Afghanistan to Aid in Hostage
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Negotiations
------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=18475BB:A6F02AD83191E160457C025C9C081DBA9574F7DCC14957C0 News reports say 22
South Koreans, kidnapped in Afghanistan more than a week ago, face
imminent execution if negotiations fail There is no word yet on the
fate of 22 South Korean hostages held by Taleban insurgents in
Afghanistan, after the passing of the latest negotiating deadline. A
purported Taleban spokesman earlier warned all 22 would be killed if
the captors' demands were not met. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from
Seoul, where officials confirm the arrival of a South Korean
presidential envoy in the Afghan capital.







Baek Jong-chun, South Korea's chief presidential secretary for
security affairs, 26 July 2007The senior South Korean presidential
secretary for security affairs, Baek Jong-chun, arrived Friday in
Kabul, where Korean officials say he is to work with Afghan President
Hamid Karzai on saving the lives of the 22 hostages. South Korean
President Roh Moo-hyun has canceled his upcoming summer vacation to
focus on the crisis.

Taleban insurgents killed a 42-year-old Christian pastor Wednesday, a
week after they kidnapped him and 22 other South Korean Christian
activists.

Another deadline passed Friday, after which a man calling himself a
Taleban spokesman told several reporters remaining hostages would be
killed if the militants' demands were not met.

In a phone call with reporters, female hostage Lim Hyun-joo said the
kidnappers' demands are twofold.

Speaking in Dari in the presence of her captors, Lim says the Taleban
want money from South Korea, and the release of Taleban comrades from
Afghan prisons.

Switching to her native Korean, Lim made an impassioned plea for
action.

She begs for help in ending the crisis, and says all of the hostages
are sick.







A group of South Korean Christians pose for a memorial photo before
leaving for Afghanistan, 13 Jul 2007The hostages traveled to
Afghanistan in defiance of a South Korean government ban, and there
has been criticism of them here in Korea for putting themselves in a
dangerous position.

Several hundred South Korean military and civilian personnel provide
non-combat support to multinational stabilization efforts in
Afghanistan. However, prior to the abductions, Seoul had announced
those personnel would be withdrawn by the end of the year. 


.