Taliban Female Hostage Devoted to Afghanistan
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
``Afghanlove.'' This is the e-mail address of Im Hyun-joo, one of female Koreans abducted by Talitan militants in Afghanistan whose voice was heared in a telephone interview with CBS Thursday.
The American broadcaster aired a three-minute interview with one of the 22 hostages and said the name as ``Yo Cyun-ju,'' but her family recognized the voice as Im's. Members of Saemmul Community Church in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, 19 parishioners of which are being held captive, also confirmed the woman to be Im.
The 32-year-old former nurse has been conducting health care work in Afghanistan for three years. She was kidnapped along with church members while guiding them from Kabul to Kandahar. Another two women who worked with Im there were also abducted.
In the interview, Im pleaded for help in shaking and sobbing voice. ``We are in very difficult time. We are pleading for you to help us get out of here as soon as possible,'' she said, some parts in Korean and others in Afghan dialect of Farsi.
After graduating from Taegu Science College's nursing department, she worked as a nurse at Severance Hospital in Sinchon, Seoul. Three years ago, she left for Afghanistan after joining All Nations' Friendship (ANF), a medical aid work group organized by several churches and hospitals including Saemmul church and Severance.
She usually gave medical treatment to locals in Kandahar, according to the ANF.
The only girl of a family with three brothers, Im's parents strongly opposed her going to the country. But she left after giving her parents 30 million won she had earned from the hospital work.
Im came to Korea last June for a short visit. She came with two Afghans _ a teenage girl without both arms and a woman in her 30s who had no teeth _ who were not able to undergo operations in their homeland due to poor medical skills there. With Im's help, they could find sponsors in Korea and have surgery at Severance, with the girl having artificial arms.
She originally planned to stay in Korea until early September. However, upon learning that the Saemmul church members would visit Afghanistan, Im left for the country on July 3, saying she needs to go earlier than their arrival on July 13 and interpret for them.
``She left hurriedly, saying the volunteers would have difficulty in communication without her. I regret that I did not stop my sister,'' said Im Cheol, her brother.