South Korean Politics and Elections

Korea to Send Civilian Health Workers to Afghanistan

Chosun Daily, November 6, 2007

Early next year the Korean government plans to send up to 30 civilian medical workers to Afghanistan to offer free services there.

Yonhap News Agency reported quoting Korean government sources that Seoul intends to continue supporting reconstruction in Afghanistan even after withdrawing its troops from the country at the end of this year as scheduled.

The Korean government reportedly plans to propose the medical dispatch to the National Assembly in the near future for approval.

Korea has dispatched two military contingents to Afghanistan to provide medical services and help in reconstruction efforts.

Meanwhile Seoul's defense ministry says it will complete the pullout of some 200 Korean non-combat troops in Afghanistan before the presidential election in mid-December.

Arirang News

Spies Outshine Diplomats in Hostage Crisis

Korea Times, September 3, 2007

By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade finds itself in a very awkward situation as it apparently lost a diplomatic edge to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in the process of ending the hostage crisis in Afghanistan.

Not a senior diplomat but Kim Man-bok, director of the spy agency, turned out to have led negotiations with the Taliban militants for the release of the hostages and returned home Sunday with released hostages, placing him in the spotlight of the nation and the press.

In a rare move, Kim praised the role of the NIS for the successful negotiation.

During a press briefing, Kim even introduced an NIS official wearing sunglasses, who was captured on the cameras of several television networks, as being a main contributor to the release through a fluency in the Afghan language _ Pashto.

``He speaks English very well and also Pashto,'' Kim told reporters. ``The Taliban negotiators seemed to have felt strong familiarity thanks to his language ability.''

Kim's praise of the Pashto-speaking official is virtually a criticism to the ministry, which has no expert on Afghanistan.

The lack of experts on regions, particularly, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, is mainly due to the U.S.-oriented structure of the ministry, according to experts.

When the ministry found out that the Taliban kidnapped the 23 Koreans in July, it sent Arabic professors for negotiation and information to Afghanistan. But the ministry realized later that it was not Arabic but Pashto that is spoken in Afghanistan

This example shows how seriously the ministry lacks experts on the Central Asian country while the ministry has so many experts on the United States and other powers.

``The hostage crisis should be a good occasion to transform the U.S.-oriented ministry to the balanced ministry,'' Lee Geun, professor of the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University, told The Korea Times. ``So far, the ministry was very much focused on the United States and other Western powers.''

Lee said the ministry faces pressure to pay more attention to small and weak countries.

There was even a saying within the ministry that to become a minister, he or she should have served as director-general of the North American Bureau because Korea's diplomacy is closely tied with the United States. Song Min-soon, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, and Ban Ki-moon, former minister, both had served as director-general of North American Bureau.

The ministry's lack of information was first shown in the first stage of the crisis.

When Cho Yong-hee, the ministry spokesman, announced on July 20 that the ministry had obtained secret information on the kidnapped Koreans. But the information actually came from The Korea Times.

A Korea Times reporter obtained the information earlier in the day and requested onfirmation from the ministry. But the ministry just held a press conference about the kidnapping in the afternoon without confirmation or explanation.

Then, Cho Jung-pyo, first vice minister, was immediately sent to Afghanistan but returned home on Aug. 19 without any result.

The NIS chief became the next control tower of the negation as he arrived in Afghanistan on Aug. 22. He came back home with his mission completed Sunday.

Minister Song also agreed his ministry has limited capability to deal with the crisis.

``There were not many areas diplomacy could do,'' he told reporters upon arrival at Incheon International Airport after visiting Middle East countries.

A source, who closely followed the hostage negotiations in Kabul, also criticized the Korean government for not having full knowledge of Afghanistan.

``It was the responsibility of the Korean Embassy in Kabul to let the Koreans know and warn them against traveling to dangerous zones as well as inform them about precautionary measures,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Grand National Party said it is inappropriate for the NIS chief to appear in public given that any activities of the spy agency are required to be conducted in secret.

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr

Taliban Agree to Free All Hostages

Korea Times, August 28, 2007

By Jung Sung-ki & Emal Pashtunyar in Kabul
Staff Reporter

KABUL _ Taliban and Korean negotiators in Afghanistan have reached an agreement on the release of the remaining 19 Korean hostages following a fourth round of face-to-face talks, Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday.

The hostages have been held in captivity for 41 days since the 23 Christian volunteers were kidnapped by Taliban militants, July 19, while traveling on a bus from Kandahar to Kabul. The militants later killed two male hostages, before releasing two female captives.

The two sides agreed to a three-point deal, which included the withdrawal of 210 non-combatant Korean troops from the Central Asian nation by the end of the year, presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-seon said.

The other terms of the agreement are a ban on Korean Christian missionaries traveling to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the departure of all Korean non-governmental organizations from Afghanistan, Cheon said.

An Afghan source privy to the negotiations told The Korea Times that in addition the militants had agreed to grant safe passage to the Korean troops during their withdrawal, and had dropped their demand for the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange for the hostages.

The source said on condition of anonymity that the captives are likely to be released in the coming couple of days in small groups of three to four.

Another informed source said the hostages had already been released, but this was not being disclosed for security reasons. As they had been kept in remote locations, it could take more than 24 hours for them to reach Ghazni, he said.

``The South Korean government welcomes the agreement on the hostages' release,'' Cheon said in a press conference. ``The government will take all necessary measures for the safe return of all the hostages.''

Cheon said many details must still be worked out and the actual timing of the release will be further discussed with the Taliban. He said there was no agreement to pay the captors, nor was there any mention of releasing Taliban prisoners, a major demand of the kidnappers.

A Taliban spokesman also said that no ransom was paid by Korea in return for their agreement to free the hostages. According to a negotiator, Korean officials had told him that they could not force the Afghan government to release Taliban prisoners.

Taliban negotiator Mullah Bashir, who spoke to this correspondent through an intermediary, said that they would release the hostages in the next two days.

The main character behind the drawn out negotiations was a tribal elder from Ghazni Province, Haji Muhammad Zahir, who said over the telephone that an agreement had been reached between the two sides.

About 210 South Korean troops of the Dasan Engineering Unit and Dongui Medical Unit are stationed in the war-ravaged nation on humanitarian and rehabilitation operations as part of an international coalition of forces led by the United States and NATO. Seoul first deployed troops to Afghanistan in 2002 at the request of Washington.

About 44,000 coalition forces from 44 nations are participating in military operations in Afghanistan aimed at removing Taliban remnants. The Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

The United States initiated the Operation Enduring Freedom in late 2001 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as the Taliban had refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, a mastermind of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. soil. The United States also aimed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Cheong Wa Dae Confirms Initial Talks Over Hostages

Korea Times, August 11, 2007

The Presidential Office in Seoul Saturday confirmed the first direct contact between South Korean negotiators and the militants over release of hostages in Afghanistan.

“There was first face-to-face contact between our side and the militants late last night in Korean Standard Time (KST),” presidential spokesman Chun Ho-seon told reporters.

However, Chun refused to reveal details on the first contact, saying “I believe it is undesirable to elaborate further on the contact due to safety of captives and its probable outcome.”

Another Cheong Wa Dae official said that an additional contact has been sought, adding that the deal has not been over although first contact was made.

Hostage Standoff Likely to Affect Presidential Race

Korea Times, August 2, 2007

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

Political analysts said the Afghanistan hostage standoff is likely to affect the primaries of the Grand National Party (GNP), but they questioned if the fallout of the kidnapping will engend