South Korean Christian hostage crisis: 4 more freed Update: All released
Update: Yonhap reports the rest of the remaining hostages have been released.
Taliban militants released four more South Korean hostages Thursday, according to an Associated Press reporter who saw them handed over to the Red Cross, and three others are also scheduled to be freed. The two men and two women were handed over to the officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross, on a road in Janda area in central Afghanistan.
That’s in addition to the 12 released yesterday. This is not the end of the crisis, unfortunately. The South Korean government’s direct deal-cutting with the Taliban ensures that we will see more infidels kidnapped:
Under the terms of Tuesday’s deal, South Korea reaffirmed a pledge it made before the hostage crisis began to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year. Seoul also said it would prevent South Korean Christian missionaries from working in the staunchly Muslim country, something it had already promised to do.
The Taliban apparently backed down on earlier demands for a prisoner exchange. But the militant group, which killed two South Korean hostages last month, could emerge with enhanced political legitimacy for negotiating successfully with a foreign government.
“One has to say that this release under these conditions will make our difficulties in Afghanistan even bigger,” Commerce Minister Amin Farhang told Germany’s Bayerischer Rundfunk radio. “We fear that this decision could become a precedent. The Taliban will continue trying to take hostages to attain their aims in Afghanistan.”
A German engineer and four Afghan colleagues kidnapped a day before the South Koreans are still being held.
Eugene Cho, who has blogged the story vigilantly from the beginning, continues to track the latest developments.
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- Update: South Korea Buys Freedom of Hostages | Political Vindication
- shyspeak.net » Blog Archive » All ROK Hostages Freed, Church to Pay Expenses
- Update On South Korean Hostages: Free at Last! But… « laurence tom :: american born chinese pastor
- Korean Hostages Freed, Allies React, Leftists Rejoice at ROK Drop
- Winds Of Jihad » Blog Archive » Taleban vows to abduct more foreigners by Sheik yer'mami
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Categories: South Korean Christian hostages
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It’s too bad that missionaries now should make sure that they are armed to the point that they can’t be abducted. These people were there to help. Hopefully after the war that we won, we can install a government that appreciates RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Sadly I don’t see the majority of locals looking for a gov’t that appreciates religious freedom although they’ll certainly take as many other kinds of freedom the koran allows. Perhaps more missionaries can help alleviate this misguided mindset by freeing more from the koran?
Although I am very pleased with the release of more of the Korean Missionaries I am highly disappointed in the Korean Government giving in to any level of demands by these thugs for the release of these people.
All I can hope is that we have some intelligence cameras high in the air that monitored the release and tracked these thugs back to their hideouts so that we can blow them away once the last hostages have been released …
Thanks for staying on top of this Michelle …
Thursday Greetings Mrs. Malkin. Was at Pastor Cho’s site when the news of the four came in. Checking at Yonhap, it appears that they are all released.
Hallelujah!
I am very sorry for the patients at the Saemmul Church-run hospital in Kandahar who were not ministered to on account of the Taliban criminality, destitute Afghans whose care now is very uncertain. I am sorry for the Korean fishermen in the hands of Somali pirates these three months, pirates who now have heightened hopes that perhaps the Saudis (as complicit with the Islamists in Mogadishu as with the Taliban) can also funnel Korean taxpayer ransom to them. It is all part of the story of our historically very insular Korean people finding their way in the world: stumbling now and then, ultimately learning from error, and becoming better not only outside, but also within and at home.
Dittos all around. I’m looking past the damage done at this point…just enjoying the relief that they are alive…wiser and stronger. The family reunions must be more joyous than can be imagined…
Considering the horror they must have been through, particularly the first two weeks, I can only rejoice right now.
Praising God they were released.
Sad that they were released by bowing to dhimmitude by the Taliban as they won this and will repeat it again.
The good news is these sweet and innocent dear people will again be with their families and dear friends.
The bad news is the terrorists have been given another card to play.
Such sadness and such gladness.
Dear intelligence agencies, You see those scarves they are wearing. Many times just like Scottish kilts can tell you what clan a person belongs to, these can tell you where they cmae from or what tribe/village they were held in.
/just trying to help.
Y’know, Grunt. Sometimes I really do wonder if such things totally escape those who should now them!
As a side thought - when the Koreans are free and outta the area it might be a good time to bomb the daylights outta this particular gang.
If I were the South Korean Gov’t, the troops I’m pulling out would be replaced by three combat battalions.
The South Koreans had just about the best reputation as fighters in Vietnam - I’m sure they’d maintain it in Afghanistan.
I assume the abductors have been bombed by now. If not, I am pissed as hell. Even with no payment to them of anykind, if the abductors are allowed to simply walk away can only mean future trouble.
Greetings also to loyal community members. It seems here that many share the same mixture of relief for the dear people we receive back safely today and due apprehension for what we must be prepared for.
Per #s 8 and 9: the Scots kilts awareness is worthy. It must be allowed that intelligence agencies are not omniscient, and some seemingly obvious paths go uncovered. For my part, I have long imagined that just as the Scots Highlanders typically went into battle clan by clan until the catastrophe at Culloden, Afghan tribesmen, though in the name of this or that “mad mullah”, fight tribe by tribe as they have for centuries. Tribesmen are genetically related individuals. It seems to me that if recurrent USA and NATO battle body counts of Taliban are substantially indicative and the anti-Islamist forces are in possession of the field after the encounter, then DNA material can be recovered, and the presence of this or that tribe in the service of the Taliban confirmed. Tribes necessarily have home bases, complete with reliable water sources and grazing areas as well as living compounds. These can be addressed in whatever fashion may be appropriate and effective subsequent to repelling the identified tribe on the field of battle. Surviving tribal elders can then more fully assess the pluses and minuses of alliance with the Taliban.
Per #10: alas, you are NOT the government of Korea, where in this crisis the incumbent administration has only behaved true to its soul. Hopefully looking forward to a much less supine successor in January, it is hard to assess from this remove how well the battle readiness and fighting spirit of the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, with special concern for the Marines and for the Special Forces, has been maintained by sturdy senior officers with their heads on straight during the last two regrettable administrations.
Oh well, at least for today, special kimchi, bulgogi and japche in thankful appreciation, and let tomorrow’s worries ride for tomorrow! Thank you also to Mrs. Malkin for your constancy throughout.
Today a CAIR representative said he was thrilled to see missionaries released by murdering Islamists…
/sarcasm off
Korea has gotten back 21 of its citizens and given away all its self respect. I am not sure this is a good trade. No, let’s say I am sure this is a bad trade.
{^_^}
Deal? what deal? Are there rules to follow now after they murdered two of the S.Koreans just because they turned some of the Kidnapped free?
Drudge didn’t even mention the release today. That’s amazing, he boycotted the story from beginning to end. Bizarre.
I noted that, too, Schwegie. I think he did mention the rumor about the rescue attempt, but other than that I believe he’s been radio silent on this.
They don’t call it the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for nothing.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html
Legal system: according to the new constitution, no law should be “contrary to Islam”;…
Some of our more zealous Christians also seem more concerned with putting their dogma over than with religious freedom. Takes one to know one.
I personally don’t care if people choose Islam or any other faith than Christianity. But it should be understood that freedom of conscience is a HUMAN RIGHT that no government should be allowed to curtail. If we are losing our lives in war, and winning the war, the least we could do is give the people FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION - even if that oppression comes from Islam.
I’m missing something. . . but are there any ‘Christian Republics’ on the planet? Moral relativism loses on every front viewed rationally.
Praise GOD, pass the hand grenade!
I am sure Korea did what they had to do to get their people back. I would not discount Korea in the least bit. This is not over.
YUM-O! It will have NEVER tasted better to these fortunate ones. But allow me to add wave after wave of Kalbi, fresh off the grill!
From Reuters Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:00AM EDT
Unbelievable! Blame the victims, of course. Read the entire article here:
Korean hostages face cool welcome home
I wonder if Kim Jong IL is looking at this situation and scratching his head. Maybe now wondering if he’s been going about this whole nuclear thing the wrong way. Surely if he just kidnapped a few dozen South Koreans and made a few beheading videos he would have the South Korean government tripping all over themself to appease (even more than they already do) the “Dear Leader”. I’m sure its cheaper than trying to build a nuke program from the ground up and less likely to inflame world sentiment as we’ve seen from the lack of media attention. Heck he could even invite some Mujaheddin over to set up their own little enclave and give them a free hand to wreak havoc. Then just sit back and watch the food and oil shipments come rolling in…