Taliban Roh Cancels Vacation Due to Abduction
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
President Roh Moo-hyun has canceled a seven-day vacation slated for next week because of continued negotiations on the Korean hostages in Afghanistan, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.
Roh will keep his eyes on the hostage situation, while staying at his presidential residence in Seoul, presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-seon told reporters.
``The President will be briefed on the developments and hold an unofficial meeting, if necessary, even though he has no official schedules,'' Cheon said.
Other related departments of the presidential office, including unification, and foreign and security affairs will engage in official functions having no vacations, the spokesman said.
Roh Thursday sent Baek Jong-chun, chief presidential secretary for unification, foreign and security policy, as a high-level envoy to Kabul after Taliban militia killed one of 23 hostages a day earlier.