KOREA:South Korea yesterday expressed outrage after the Taliban killed a captured Korean pastor in Afghanistan, warning that those involved would be held responsible and calling again on the militant group to immediately release the remaining 22 hostages.
South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun spoke again yesterday with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai and they agreed to fully co-operate to ensure the safety of the remaining South Korean captives and their quick release, Mr Roh's office said.
Presidential spokesman Chun Ho-sun said the hostages were not known to have any health problems.
Despite earlier reports that some had been freed, he said Seoul believed 22 remained in captivity.
Mr Chun added that an Afghan official had told South Korea earlier that Kabul intended to negotiate with the Taliban.
He said Seoul was aware of the Taliban's current demands, but declined to specify them.
Seoul also repeated its call that no rescue mission be launched that could endanger the captives further.
"We oppose military operations and there won't be military operations that we do not consent to," Mr Chun said.
Earlier, the chief presidential secretary for security affairs, Baek Jong-chun, said before departing as a high-level envoy to Afghanistan that the kidnappers would "be held accountable for taking the life of a Korean citizen."
He also expressed "heartfelt condolences" to the bereaved family.
The South Korean victim was found yesterday with 10 bullet holes in his head, chest and stomach in Ghazni province, the region where the group was seized on July 19th, said Abdul Rahman, an Afghan police officer.
South Korea's foreign ministry identified the victim as 42-year-old Bae Hyung-kyu, who church officials said was killed on his birthday.
Bae, a deputy pastor and a founder of Saemmul Presbyterian Church, led the church's volunteer work in Afghanistan. He is survived by a wife and a young daughter.
He was known for being a passionate leader of the church's 300-member youth group.