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The Korean government confirmed Tuesday a second Korean hostage has been killed in Afghanistan. He has been identified as Shim Sung-min. We can no longer contain our anger at the barbarity of the Taliban, who have already killed Rev. Bae Hyung-kyu. At the same time, the killing reinforces a painful sense of the powerlessness of the Korean government. We may have become the world¡¯s 13th largest economy, but we still have a long ways to go in the political, diplomatic and military spheres. We have no choice but to watch helplessly as our own citizens are killed one at a time by the hands of a group of fanatics in Afghanistan.
Negotiations have hit a wall. It has become clear that the government of Afghanistan has no intention of listening to the Taliban¡¯s demands to release prisoners. The Taliban are demanding things beyond the control of the Korean government, yet are killing Koreans at will to pressure the Afghan government. Although they have extended the deadline until 4:30 p.m. today, there appears to be no chance of a breakthrough. There are real fears that Koreans may hear more sad news.
But we must keep negotiating. The possibility of a military option by the Afghanistan government is reportedly rising since the killing of Shim. But the chances of success are slim, since the hostages have been separated into small groups and are being held in different locations, while the mountainous terrain of southern Afghanistan makes a surprise attack almost impossible. We must avoid military options as long as there is even the slightest glimmer of hope in negotiations.
The international community abides by the principle that listening to the demands of terrorists only invites more terrorism. The prisoner-for-hostage swap made during the hostage taking of an Italian has set a bad precedent, prompting the latest Taliban abduction, the logic goes. There is some truth to that. But given that we are faced with such a large hostage-taking crisis, we must also consider humanitarian options. Once again, we urge the international community to demonstrate a flexible attitude.
But even if negotiations continue, we need to change the basic approach. Until now, the Taliban has played with the Korean government and people by using the international news media. The Taliban sent a video of the petrified female hostages, while killing Shim at the same time. It has become clear that we cannot expect even the tiniest amount of reason or generosity from the Taliban. Now our government and the public must reconsider the way they deal with the Taliban.
In a statement, the government warned, ¡°If another action that harms the life of our people occurs, we will not be sitting idle. They will be held to account.¡± If the Taliban kill another hostage, Korea will be put to the test. When that happens, the government and the public must be prepared for exceptional resolve.
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