After the release of the 19 remaining South Korean Christian hostages, the discussion turned toward the wisdom of doing missions in dangerous countries like Afghanistan. The Christians and churches involved were criticized severely—from the outside and the inside—for disregarding warnings from the government. They were blamed for the whole situation and seem to be taking full responsibility for all that unfolded.
According to the Christian Post, “Some 100 pastors gathered in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday for a penitence prayer meeting in response to worldwide criticism of Korean churches’ aggressive overseas missionary work.”
All 19 of the remaining South Korean hostages are now free. The Taliban released 12 hostages on Wednesday and the other 7 on Thursday. Now the discussion turns toward the issue of whether foreign missionary work should be allowed in countries like Afghanistan where the risks are great.
Protestant organizations in South Korea have said they will respect the new law banning missionary activities in Afghanistan after voicing appreciation for the government’s effort in freeing the Christian volunteers.
The Taliban has finally agreed to release the remaining 19 South Korean Christian hostages on two conditions: South Korea must (1) prohibit missionary work in Afghanistan and (2) withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Currently some 200 soldiers are “deployed in Afghanistan for reconstruction efforts, not combat.”
Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said South Korean and Taliban delegates at face-to-face talks Tuesday in the central town of Ghazni had “reached an agreement” to free the captives.
By now I’m sure everyone is aware that 19 South Korean evangelical Christians are being held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The original number was 23, but 2 have been killed and 2 released.
Ted Olson at the Christianity Today Liveblog noted yesterday the Times Online report that the South Korean government has stopped at least two military operations to rescue the hostages. One of those operations involved plans to kidnap family members of the kidnappers to put pressure on them to release the hostages.
The Taliban has killed the second of 23 South Korean Christian hostages: another man, 29-year-old Shim Sung-min.
The body of a second South Korean Christian hostage killed in Afghanistan was found Tuesday as the Taliban’s new deadline loomed for the fate of the remaining 21 hostages.
The blood-stained, bullet-riddled body of a man was dumped in a field of clover in Arzoo village about six miles from the eastern city of Ghazni, according to Reuters.
The Taliban has killed one of the 23 Korean Christian hostages who were captured on Thursday of last week. The Taliban insists that its demands were not met, claims no responsibility for the death of the male hostage, and promises that more deaths will follow.
“Since Kabul’s administration did not listen to our demand and did not free our prisoners, the Taliban shot dead a male Korean hostage,” Qari Yousef Ahmadi, the alleged news representative for the Taliban, told Reuters by phone from an unknown location.
Last Thursday 231 evangelical Korean Christians traveling through Afghanistan for missionary work were captured “on the main Kabul to Kandahar highway . . . in the largest single abduction of foreigners since 2001.” Those who were captured are part of Korean Action, a South Korean Christian medical aid agency based in Kandahar.
The bus driver, who was released Thursday night, claims that their were 23 on board (18 women and 5 men). The Taliban claims to have captured 18 total. This discrepancy is still unresolved. [↩ back]
After the release of the 19 remaining South Korean Christian hostages, the discussion turned toward the wisdom of doing missions in dangerous countries like Afghanistan. The Christians and churches involved were criticized severely—from the outside and the inside—for disregarding warnings from the government. They were blamed for the whole situation and seem to be taking full responsibility for all that unfolded.
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All 19 of the remaining South Korean hostages are now free. The Taliban released 12 hostages on Wednesday and the other 7 on Thursday. Now the discussion turns toward the issue of whether foreign missionary work should be allowed in countries like Afghanistan where the risks are great.
The Taliban has finally agreed to release the remaining 19 South Korean Christian hostages on two conditions: South Korea must (1) prohibit missionary work in Afghanistan and (2) withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Currently some 200 soldiers are “deployed in Afghanistan for reconstruction efforts, not combat.”
By now I’m sure everyone is aware that 19 South Korean evangelical Christians are being held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The original number was 23, but 2 have been killed and 2 released.
The Taliban has killed the second of 23 South Korean Christian hostages: another man, 29-year-old Shim Sung-min.
Last Thursday 23