Korean Hostage Killed by Taliban

Unidentified Korean officials, right, are seen during a meeting with the Mehra Juddin Patan, first left, the governor of Ghazni province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Korean negotiators accompanied by Afghan elders and clerics met face-to-face with the kidnappers of 23 South Koreans Tuesday as a threatened Taliban deadline to execute them passed by once again. (AP Photo) (Str - AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan police found the bullet-riddled body of one of 23 South Koreans held hostage by Taliban kidnappers, and officials scrambled Thursday to save the others.

An Afghan police chief ruled out using force to free the remaining captives and said that Afghan negotiators were speaking with the Taliban over the phone, hoping to secure their release.

Because of a recent spike in kidnappings _ including an attempt against a Danish citizen Wednesday _ police barred foreigners from leaving the Afghan capital without their permission.

South Korea said Thursday it would not tolerate the killing of an innocent civilian and vowed the kidnappers would be held accountable. It demanded the immediate release of the remaining hostages.

"The killing of an innocent civilian cannot be justified under any circumstance or for any reason," Baek Jong-chun, chief presidential secretary for security affairs, said in a statement. The kidnappers "will be held accountable for taking the life of a Korean citizen."

The South Korean victim was found Wednesday with 10 bullet holes in his head, chest and stomach in the Mushaki area of Qarabagh district in Ghazni province, the region where the group was seized July 19 while riding a bus, said Abdul Rahman, a police officer.

A police official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, said militants told him the hostage was sick and couldn't walk and was therefore shot.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry identified the victim as 42-year-old Bae Hyung-kyu, a founder of Saemmul Presbyterian Church who traveled abroad on volunteer missions twice a year.

After conflicting reports Wednesday from Western and Afghan officials that possibly eight of the other hostages had been released, South Korean presidential spokesman Chun Ho-sun said Thursday the 22 were still believed held but not suffering from health problems.

Chun said South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun had spoken with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, but did not disclose the contents of their discussion.

Ghazni police chief Ali Shah Ahmadzai said that the Afghan negotiators were speaking with the Taliban over the phone, in a hope of securing the hostages release.

"We are hopeful that by noon today we will reach some sort of deal for the release of six up to eight people," Ahmadzai said, without giving more explanation for his optimism.