Taliban Hostage Families Plead for US Help
By Park Chung-a
Staff Reporter
Family members of the Korean hostages being held by Taliban militants in Afghanistan pleaded Tuesday for help from the United States for their safe return home.
The desperate and tearful appeal was made after the Seoul government confirmed the killing of a second hostage by the Taliban.
They will convey their message to President George Bush through the U.S. Embassy in Korea.
``Although the South Korean government is working hard, we ask for support from international society including the United States so that the crisis will be solved in a peaceful manner as soon as possible,'' they said in their joint statement.
The statement was read by Kim Kyung-ja, the mother of 37-year-old Lee Seon-young, one of the remaining 21 Korean hostages, at a press conference in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province.
``Especially, we hope that the United States will be more active in saving the hostages from a humanitarian perspective, transcending political relations.''
They also said that they were worried about the safety of the captives because of the war underway in the central Asian nation. They expressed concern over the possible use of military force to solve the crisis although the Roh Moo-hyun administration has repeatedly reaffirmed Seoul's opposition to this until the last minute.
``We hope the crisis can be solved in a peaceful and humanitarian way without the use of force and we appeal to people from all over the world so that the remaining 21 hostages can return home safely,'' they said.
Family members of the 23 original hostages, who were kidnapped during a volunteer trip to Afghanistan participated in the press conference.
Jang Jeong-shik, the 81-year-old uncle of hostage Park Hye-young, said he expects the U.S. to help in a time of agony for its ally, as was amply demonstrated at the time of the Korean War from 1950 till 1953. ``I know how strong the Korea-U.S. alliance is,'' he said.
Among the participants was 62-year-old Kim Taek-young, the mother of 34-year-old female hostage Han Ji-young. The wheelchair bound Kim, sporting intravenous drips, expressed her frustration over Taliban's killing of the second hostage.
Seo Jeong-bae, 57, the father of two hostages _ Seo Myung-hwa and Seo Kyung-seok _ prayed for their release. He said he appreciates his children's volunteerism.
Yoo Haeng-shik, the husband of hostage Kim Yoon-young; Lee Jong-hwan, the elder brother of Lee Ji-young; and Lee Chae-bok, the mother of Je Chang-hee also expressed their helplessness.