2007年VOA标准英语-South Korean Special Envoy Arrives in Afghanist

There is no word yet on the fate of 22 South Korean hostages held by Taleban insurgents¹ in Afghanistan, after the passing of the latest negotiating deadline. A purported² 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 envoy³ in the Afghan capital.

Baek Jong-chun, South Korea's chief presidential secretary for security affairs, 26 July 2007

The 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 Christian⁴ pastor⁵ Wednesday, a week after they kidnapped him and 22 other South Korean Christian activists⁶.

Another deadline passed Friday, after which a man calling himself a Taleban spokesman told several reporters remaining hostages would be killed if the militants⁷' demands were not met.

In a phone call with reporters, female hostage Lim Hyun-joo said the kidnappers⁸' 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.

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A group of South Korean Christians pose for a memorial photo before leaving for Afghanistan, 13 Jul 2007

The hostages traveled to Afghanistan in defiance¹⁰ 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 civilian¹¹ personnel provide non-combat support to multinational¹² stabilization¹³ efforts in Afghanistan. However, prior to the abductions, Seoul had announced those personnel would be withdrawn¹⁴ by the end of the year.