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Staff Reporter
The nation's spy chief said Thursday that it is legally groundless for the government to make the Korean hostages held by Taliban militants in Afghanistan bear the costs incurred in securing their release.
Kim Man-bok, director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), said that it is hard to exert the right of indemnity because the hostages didn't do anything illegal, lawmakers who belong to the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee said, following a closed-door session with Kim.
Kim's remarks in a sense run counter to President Roh Moo-hyun's instruction Monday that the government should ensure the hostages bear legal responsibility for the costs of their release and repatriation.
Meanwhile, Kim said he could not clarify whether a ransom was given to the Taliban for the release of the hostages.
Kim said he couldn't reveal anything about the issue because of promises made to the militants.
The spy chief led negotiations with the Taliban who kidnapped 23 Koreans on July 19 and freed the last hostage on Aug. 30.
Kim said it was not appropriate for the committee to ask if the Korean government gave money for the hostages' release and asked them to forget about it. He said he would tell the truth the when time was ripe in the future.
Asked if he couldn't comment because the negotiations were not finished, he answered yes. He said he would assume any legal responsibility if he had used state funds for any ransom.
``It is possible that the hostages were released in return for the release of the Taliban fighters imprisoned in Afghanistan,'' a lawmaker of the committee, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency in Seoul. ``Some time after the Taliban set free the hostages, the Afghan government may release Taliban prisoners.''
The Taliban had repeatedly demanded that the Kabul government set free its prisoners in return for the freedom of the hostages, but suddenly let the hostages go.
The legislator said the Afghan government might have agreed with the Taliban to free the prisoners by pardon at the request of the Korean negotiators.
Kim sought to steal the media limelight by intentionally publicizing his role in the release of the hostages.
He said the resulting media criticism was too much and rapped the press for covering the ransom controversy. He said the press had lost any sense of national interest.
He also explained why the NIS led the negotiations instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
``If the ministry led the negotiations, it would look as if the government negotiated with terrorists,'' he said. ``That is against the rules of the international community.''
Kim has said he will not run for a National Assembly seat in the general election next April.
yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr
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