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Taliban: Korea Paid $4M Ransom

Commander says Seoul paid millions to release hostages

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 7, 2008 9:40 AM CST
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(Newser) – The Taliban released 21 South Korean hostages five months ago only after Seoul paid at least $4 million in ransom, a senior insurgent commander now claims. Contrary to South Korea's official denial to Newsweek that money changed hands, the commander said freeing the missionaries without recompense "would not have been worth it." 

Seoul's denial is a new development; at the time of the hostages' release it refused to comment on whether the Taliban had been paid off. Newsweek also reports that the insurgents and the South Korean military had to divert the exchange to the Pakistani border city of Quetta, since Afghan and US intelligence were watching them too closely within the country.

One of the released South Korean hostages, Kim Kyung-ja, right, who was freed on Aug. 13 in the midst of the crisis, is helped by a doctor and hospital security during a news conference at a hospital in Anyang, southwest of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007. Two South...
One of the released South Korean hostages, Kim Kyung-ja, right, who was freed on Aug. 13 in the midst of the crisis, is helped by a doctor and hospital security during a news conference at a hospital...   (Associated Press)
A South Korean woman, right, who was kidnapped and held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan cries at a funeral service for pastor Bae Hyung-kyu, who was killed by Taliban militants, at Saemmul Community Church in Seongnam, south of Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007. South Koreans freed from...
A South Korean woman, right, who was kidnapped and held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan cries at a funeral service for pastor Bae Hyung-kyu, who was killed by Taliban militants, at Saemmul Community...   (Associated Press)
Two relatives of the South Korean victims killed by Taliban hold their portraits as one of the released South Korean hostages weeps during a news conference at Incheon Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2007. Nineteen South Koreans freed last week from a six-week captivity...
Two relatives of the South Korean victims killed by Taliban hold their portraits as one of the released South Korean hostages weeps during a news conference at Incheon Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul,...   (Associated Press)
South Korean protesters stage a rally demanding the United States to engage in negotiations for the safe return of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007. South Korea expressed hope Friday that an upcoming summit between the United States and Afghanistan would help efforts...
South Korean protesters stage a rally demanding the United States to engage in negotiations for the safe return of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007....   (Associated Press)
South Korean protesters hold pictures of the remaining 21 kidnapped South Koreans in Afghanistan at a candlelight rally demanding the United States to engage in negotiations for the safe return of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 3,...
South Korean protesters hold pictures of the remaining 21 kidnapped South Koreans in Afghanistan at a candlelight rally demanding the United States to engage in negotiations for the safe return of South...   (Associated Press)
South Korean protesters hold pictures of the remaining 21 kidnapped South Koreans in Afghanistan at a candlelight rally demanding the United States to engage in negotiations for the safe return of the hostages, in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 3, 2007. South Korea...
South Korean protesters hold pictures of the remaining 21 kidnapped South Koreans in Afghanistan at a candlelight rally demanding the United States to engage in negotiations for the safe return of the...   (Associated Press)
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Background on the hostage crisis
Wikipedia

 
Afghanistan • Taliban • South Korea • Korean hostages • missionaries • ransom • Quetta

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