South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan (Wikipedia)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_South_Korean_hostage_crisis_in_Afghanistan
The 2007 South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan began on July 19, 2007, when 23 South Korean missionaries were captured and held hostage by members of the Taliban while passing through Ghazni Province of Afghanistan. Two of the hostages were executed before the deal was reached between the Taliban and the South Korean government. The group, comprised of sixteen women and seven men, was captured while traveling from Kandahar to Kabul by bus on a mission sponsored by the Saemmul Presbyterian Church. The crisis began when two local men, who the driver had allowed to board, started shooting to bring the bus to a halt. Over the next month, the hostages were kept in cellars and farmhouses and regularly moved in groups of three to four.
Of the 23 hostages captured, two men, Bae Hyeong-gyu and Shim Seong-min were executed on July 25 and July 30 respectively. Later, with negotiations making progress, two women, Kim Gyeong-ja and Kim Ji-na, were released on August 13 and the remaining 19 hostages on August 29 and August 30.
The release of the hostages was secured with a South Korean promise to withdraw its 200 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2007. Although the South Korean government offered no statement, a Taliban spokesman claimed that the militant group also received some $20 million USD in exchange for the safety of the captured missionaries.
South Korean mission groups re-strategize for high-risk areas (Christian Post, 24 Sep 07)
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070924/29441_South_Korean_Mission_Groups_Re-Strategize_for_High-Risk_Areas.htm
Pastor: Korean hostage was killed for refusing to convert to Islam (CT, 5 Sep 07)
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/pastor.korean.hostage.was.killed.for.refusing.to.convert.to.islam/12843.htm
Hostages held in Afghanistan return to S. Korea (ST, 2 Sep 07)
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/Asia/STIStory_154068.html
Mission field dangerous for Church workers (NPR, 6 Aug 07)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12523044
Korean missions in wake of hostage crisis (Christian Broadcasting Network, 3 Aug 07)
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/205754.aspx
Korean hostage crisis pressures US, Karzai (AsiaTimes, 31 Jul 07)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IG31Dg03.html
Korean hostage crisis should impel, not deter (Christian Post, 28 Jul 07)
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070728/28662_Korean_Hostage_Crisis_Should_Impel,_Not_Deter.htm
Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan raising anxiety (CSmonitor, 28 Jul 07)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0727/p99s01-duts.html
South Korea rethinks mission strategy (BBC News, 26 Jul 07)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6915268.stm
Dead South Korea hostage devout Christian, family man (Reuters, 26 Jul 07)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP196296.htm
Foreign hostages in Afghanistan
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/World/BgSty_144119_1.html
Afghan turmoil
http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/AF_REC.htm?v=at_a_glance
