DPRK Forum

I am very happy to hear these people are back home, but there is something about the story that really bothers me, and perhaps somebody could explain to me why this is so:

In response to public anger over this seeming recklessness, the South Korean government, which negotiated the hostages’ release and was reported by the Reuters news agency to have paid a $20 million ransom, is demanding that the church and families of the hostages repay some of the costs of bringing them home, including airfare, medical treatment and the transport of the bodies of two missionaries slain by their captors.

Why would somebody that was held hostage have to pay some (or all) of the ransom? Is that adding insult to injury? Perhaps I am missing something here. Then some Taliban leader says they will use that money to blow more things up:

Quoting an unnamed senior Taliban leader, Reuters reported Saturday that the South Korean government paid more than $20 million to secure the freedom of its citizens. “With it, we will purchase arms, get our communication network renewed and buy vehicles for carrying out more suicide attacks,” the commander told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Then the inevitable denial comes down the pike:

The South Korean government on Saturday denied that any payment was made, as it has several times in recent days. A Taliban spokesman also denied receiving any money.

So which is it? Did they pay a ransom, or did they not pay a ransom, and if they did not pay the ransom, then why would they have to pay part (or all) of the money? Something is not adding up here. I have not read any of the South Korean blogs yet, but I am going to in a moment to gain some understanding.

Obviously, these missionaries were released, and the Taliban would have not released them out of the goodness of their heart. Originally, they wanted the release of prisoners in exchange. In this report, the Taliban also wanted South Korean troops out:

South Korea has promised to withdraw it contingent of 200 soldiers by the end of the year, a decision which had already been announced and scheduled. It will also ban missionaries from travelling to Afghanistan - but this was already official government advice.

So was that the condition of the release? I kind of doubt that, but since I was not there at the negotiating table, I can only try to read between the lines of conflicting reports. Of course, not everybody is buying the official line:

The South Korean government denies this but, according to its official explanation, the Taleban released their captives without gaining any new concessions, a scenario that many in Afghanistan find far-fetched.

…

Many Afghans criticised their own government for authorising direct negotiations with the Taliban. “This was a game which ended in the favour of the Taleban, from the very beginning to its end,” Shukria Barakzai, an Afghan MP, told Agence France Presse.

Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, the foreign minister, said: “In short, this deal gives the Taliban legitimacy, publicity and identity.

“If the impression is created now that the international community and the Afghan government allow themselves to be blackmailed, then this sends a very dangerous message.”

I find that hard to believe as well. Whatever the case, some deal was struck to get these people back home, and of course, the details are muddy. Then naturally, the controversy about missionary work in places like Afghanistan are raised, and is causing rifts in public opinion:

Despite relief at the safe delivery, South Korean public opinion remains divided about the handling of the crisis by the government and the conduct of the missionaries themselves, who ignored warnings about the dangers of evangelising in such a conflict-stricken and devoutly Islamic country.

That’s a stickler indeed. Then somebody throws eggs at them (or tries to) when they come home:

While one man had to be restrained by the police as he attempted to pelt the missionaries with eggs.

What the heck was that about? I guess everybody has critics I suppose. In the end, time will tell what the real story is, but I have a suspicion more than just troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan. I am just glad most returned safely, and I send my sympathies for those murdered.

Edit: I should have read the other blogs before posting this entry, but it seems I am not alone in not buying the story. According to Lost Nomad:

If they say so, then is must be true and we’ll assume that the Taliban released the hostages out of the goodness of their hearts:

The office of President Roh Moo-hyun Friday indirectly denied news reports alleging that the South Korean government has paid a hefty ransom to the Taliban in return for the recent release of South Korean hostages. “There is no secret agreement with the Taliban other than the already announced conditions for the hostage release,” Roh’s spokesman, Cheon Ho-seon, said in his daily media briefing.

Hahahahahahahahahaha. If you believe that, then let me tell you about the 10-pound bass I caught last weekend.

Also read the reaction by ROK Drop. Only there is an extra twist to the story I have not seen yet, and if indeed true, that does not look good at all:

Something that has been left un-said in the media but on most people minds was if the Taliban sexually assaulted the women or not. The hostages are not talking yet but reports are filtering out of Afghanistan that at least four of the hostages were sexually assaulted by Pakistani Taliban which set off a fight between two Taliban groups. The sexual assault of the Korean women would be highly damaging to the Taliban’s effort to cultivate an image of being mujahadeen fighting for a Muslim cause in Afghanistan when they are going around kidnapping and raping women. I’m sure we will find out sooner or later if the report is true or not, but I would not be surprised at all if some of the women were sexually assaulted by these Taliban criminals.

Nor would I.