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PLEASE HELP: A South Korean man calling on the US to help free the hostages during a rally in front of the US Embassy in Seoul yesterday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL - AS DESPERATION mounts over the fate of 21 South Koreans being held by the Taleban in Afghanistan, their relatives and Seoul have pleaded for help from the US.
The captives' families have begged the White House to intervene, while the South Korean government and politicians from across the spectrum appear to be asking Washington to put its principles aside and back a deal with the militants.
The leaders of South Korea's political parties put aside their differences yesterday and appealed to Washington to 'shift its stance and prevent imminent killings'.
In a joint statement, they said: 'We ask the US to make a one-time humanitarian action. It would not be a violation of political principles.'
A diplomatic mission of seven lawmakers from four leading parties is also heading for the United States today to press their case with top US officials and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, South Korea's former foreign minister, the Associated Press reported.
The parties are asking the US and UN to take an 'active and positive attitude to prevent the loss of human lives'.
The politicians' call came a day after a similar appeal by the South Korean presidential Blue House which, in a veiled reference to the US policy of not negotiating with terrorists, said: 'The government is well aware of how the international community deals with such abduction cases.
'But it would be worthwhile to be flexible and save the precious lives of those still in captivity.'
According to Reuters, the call for 'flexibility' has been interpreted by analysts as a call for the US to pressure Kabul to strike a deal with the kidnappers.
In a visit to the US Embassy in Seoul yesterday, relatives of the captives met officials for an hour and handed over a letter begging for Washington's help in freeing the hostages.
Quoting from the letter afterwards, the mother of one of the hostages told reporters: 'We appeal for Washington to assume a more active role to enable the captives to return home unharmed as early as possible.'
As Madam Lee Chae Bok read the letter, relatives of other captives stood behind her, each wearing a white ribbon saying 'Please save our families'.
Some cried as they held banners with messages like 'We want to hug our children' and 'The US President and citizens, please save our children'.
The Taleban abducted the 23 Korean medical aid workers on July 19.
They have already killed two of them and have threatened to kill the rest if Kabul does not hand over Taleban prisoners.
Washington is seen as having a heavy influence on the Afghan government, which it helped set up following the ouster of the Taleban regime by US forces in 2001.
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was quoted by the Associated Press as saying yesterday: 'We would very much want to see these hostages released, and they should be released immediately.
'It is truly unconscionable to be holding these people.'
But ominously for those hoping Washington will compromise in a bid to free the hostages, the US was harshly critical of Kabul when it freed five Taleban prisoners in exchange for the release of an Italian journalist in March.
And the US State Department said this week: 'The policy as written over the past 20 years or so is to not make concessions to terrorists.
'It has been there for many, many years, and I do not see any indication that we are going to be changing that.'
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's spokesman said that while officials were doing 'everything possible' to secure the hostages' release, freeing militants was not an option.
'As a principle, we should not encourage kidnappers by accepting their demands,' he said.
leeteejong@yahoo.com
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