The Taliban have agreed to free 19 South Korean hostages
kidnapped in Afghanistan following a negotiation with South Korean
officials, said South Korean Presidential Office Spokesman Cheon
Ho-seon on Tuesday.
"The South Korean government welcomes the agreement on the
hostage release," the spokesman said at a news conference.
"The agreement was reached on conditions that South Korea
withdraw its troops stationed in Afghanistan by the year's end and
impose a ban on its Christian nationals' missionary activities in
the Southwest Asian country," Cheon said.
The actual timing for the hostage release cannot be confirmed
for now, he said.
The local YTN news channel said that South Korea and Taliban
reached a five-point agreement during their negotiation on the day.
Under the agreement, the South Korean government promised to
withdraw all its troops within this year and asks South Korean NGOs
and missionaries to leave Afghanistan and Pakistan soon. The
Taliban demands suspension of all military actions against Taliban
before the release of South Korean hostages and promised not to
demand release of Taliban prisoners detained in Afghanistan, the
YTN said.
A group of Taliban militants kidnapped 23 South Koreans in
Afghanistan on July 19. The kidnappers have killed two male South
Koreans and released two female hostages so far.
(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2007)
