Korea Times: “Huge Ransom” Paid For Two Hostages
Talks Continue for Freedom of Remaining 19 Korean Captives in Several Days
By Yoon Won-sup
with Emal Pashtunyar
KABUL _ The South Korean government confirmed Monday night that Taliban militants had released two sick female Korean hostages, Kim Gyeong-ja, 37, and Kim Ji -na, 32, and handed them over to Korean officials in Ghazni. The two women will undergo a thorough medical check-up and screening as soon as possible.
The officials are continuing their negotiations with a delegation from the militant group to free the remaining 19 hostages. Sources told The Korea Times that these would be freed “in several days.”
The purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi backed the speculation. He said, “Now that we have released the two women as a gesture of goodwill following demands from the international community and human rights organizations, the Afghan government should also now fulfill its responsibility and accept their (Taliban) demand for the release of their prisoners.”
He added, “Our negotiations with the Korean delegation will continue for the release of the rest of the hostages, but now we want the release of our men, who are languishing in Afghanistan jails.”
The kidnappers freed the two female hostages _ after several delays regarding the deadline for their release _ following three days of dialogue between Taliban negotiators, Mullah Bashir and Mullah Nasrullah, and the Korean delegation.
Officials of the Red Crescent Society (RCS) in Ghazni confirmed they had received the two hostages. However, they did not release their names and journalists were not allowed to meet or talk to them.
Sources told The Korea Times that the two women were brought in a red Corolla car by a gray-bearded man to a site where two RCS ambulances were parked.
They got out of the car and hurriedly entered one of the two ambulances, which sped away to Ghazni, some 30 kilometers from the place of their release.
An eyewitness, who was present said the health of both women seemed stable but both were weeping while getting into the ambulance.
Some local people and journalists had also arrived on the scene, but none were allowed to get close to the two ambulances or the car. They were also barred from talking to the women.
An RCS official present at negotiations between the Taliban and the Korean delegation confirmed the two had reached the city 30 minutes after their release and were handed over to officials from the Korean Embassy.
Contacted for comments over the telephone from Kabul, the officials confirmed the release of the two hostages but parried all other questions. They did not reply when asked if the two freed women would stay at the embassy in Kabul or would return to Korea as soon as possible.
The release of the two women, who were earlier reported to be seriously ill by Ahmadi, was delayed three times.
Firstly, Ahmadi told this reporter as well as other media representatives on Saturday evening that they were going to set free them in two hours.
However, Taliban commander Abdullah Jan, who was said to be holding the captives, contradicted this. Jan said they had received orders from their leadership council or Mashartaba Shura regarding the release of the two women, but they were not going to set them free at that time. Instead, he said, they would be freed Sunday afternoon.
However, the militants again backtracked on their statement and said the release was postponed due to, what they termed, “a last-minute glitch” during their negotiations with the Korean delegation.
A source close to commander Abdullah then told The Korea Times that they would be released on Monday.
Despite the Taliban claim that the release of the two was a goodwill gesture, sources said the militants had received a huge ransom from the Korean side _ however, the exact amount remains unknown.
Meanwhile, they said that talks between the Koreans and the Taliban would continue to secure the safe release of the remaining 19 hostages. The Taliban negotiators are still present in Ghazni to carry forward the dialogue.
The 23 ill-fated Koreans were seized by armed militants while returning from Afghanistan’s volatile Kandahar Province to the capital city of Kabul on July 19. Days after their kidnapping, the militants executed two male members of the group one after the other to press the Afghan government and the Korean embassy to accept their demands. The killing of the two men drew widespread condemnation of the Taliban at home as well as on the international front.
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Paying large sums of money to murderous cockroaches who have kidnapped your countrymen? Awesome idea. Not.
Not only is it patently fucking stupid, they’ve just given funds to let them continue their nefarious ways.
You’ve saved two (so far) to potentially kill thousands. Great logic there. Awesome job, South Korea. One has to wonder where the fuck your backbone (and your brain) is.
August 13th, 2007 at 10:24 amThe libs around the world have obviously never studied early American history. We tried that same shit, until one intelligent President read their playbook…Das Koran. His name was Thomas Jefferson. Guess how he handled this kind of shit? Paying ransom? I think not.
August 13th, 2007 at 10:38 amAnd speaking of the Religion Of Peace. Here’s an interesting vid that you might like:
August 13th, 2007 at 10:40 amhttp://hotair.com/archives/2007/08/13/new-vent-michelle-interviews-robert-spencer-about-religion-of-peace-why-christianity-is-and-islam-isnt
This pissed me off beyond belief. Not that I don’t sympathize for the victims here and the hostages of course, but the lack of principal to stand up against these murderous thugs who will only be motivated to kidnap more people in the future. Do the Korean people realize the ethical considerations in this matter? Do they realize that, although horrible and despicable, that kidnapping for ransom is a technique often used by the terrorist to inflict fear or to shape opinions and force political changes amongst the law-abiding nations. This will only embolden more of these kinds of techniques on other innocent people, this is unbelievable to me. I am outraged at the Korean government!! Not to mention that they already killed one or two of the leaders of the group. So we reward them now, wow, I am dumbfounded.
Semper Fi
August 13th, 2007 at 10:57 amIdiots.
August 13th, 2007 at 11:24 amSo how many will die at the hands of the taliban now that the south koreans are financing them?
August 13th, 2007 at 11:27 amThis is so shitty. Koreans are financing terrorism here. Stupid f-ing missionaries.
The Koreans should have made this deal:
We won’t double the number of Korean troops in Afghanistan if you release all the hostages unarmed. Then start shipping more and more troops until the Taliban releases the hostages.
August 13th, 2007 at 11:35 amDan(TI),
It was Jefferson’s Sec. of State, Eaton, that recommended this. “The best way to deal with these Muslims is to pave their streets with Gold or Cannon Balls.”
August 13th, 2007 at 12:13 pmOh Man, They’re screwin up if they pay one cent to these scumbags. Dumb Dumb Dumb
August 13th, 2007 at 12:53 pmDisgusting. Wait a minute… technically this would fall under “those who finance and harbor terrorists.” Perhaps, we need to reconsider our dealings with SK. It’s not like we haven’t done a thing or two for them in the last say… 60 years. WTF?!?!
August 13th, 2007 at 1:13 pmThese people had no business being in Afghanistan in the middle of a war. And now, because of their ignorance, and the stupidity of their government, our enemies are going to have more guns and bombs to kill our soldiers. Thanks a lot South Korea. You guys are wonderful allies.
August 13th, 2007 at 1:52 pmTanicacid:
“It was Jefferson’s Sec. of State, Eaton, that recommended this. “The best way to deal with these Muslims is to pave their streets with Gold or Cannon Balls.””
Smart man that Mr Eaton.
August 13th, 2007 at 4:46 pmThe missionaries were there of there own free will. the korean government had previously urged them to leave afghanistan. The korean government had no moral or legal responsibility to even attempt to negotiate with these scum bags.
what is the moral of this story: kill 2 of our civilians and we will give you money for 2 others. will the korean government do the right thing and tell them to give up the rest or risk a korean escalation in afghanistan? I would love to see korean special forces units, kicking taliban ass.
The government is liberal. need i say more? they continue to promote good relations with the dictator and thief in north korea whom they have consistently over the years gave money in return for not making nuclear weapons or promises not to attack. appeasement is always the name of the game along with an occassional empty threat. the taliban understands this, so taking these prisoners was a no brainer.
Upon the ending of this current hostage crises, i suggest the US kick out well meaning charitable organizations whose governments have a history of appeasing criminals, short of this, the next time hostages are taken we need to locate them, then drop a 500 pound bomb on the location.
NO NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS
August 13th, 2007 at 11:08 pm