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S Korea, U.S. rule out military action to rescue hostages

South Korean and the United States Thursday agreed to rule out military action to rescue 21 South Korean hostages held in Afghanistan, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

People carry a coffin containing the body of Bae Hyung-Kyu, a South Korean hostage who was killed by Afghan kidnappers on July 25, at Anyang hospital near Seoul July 30, 2007. The body of Bae Hyung-Kyu was transported to Incheon International Airport on Monday.(Xinhua Photo)"South Korea and the United States agreed to rule out any military actions," Yonhap quoted South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon as saying. Song, who is participating the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum in Malina, made the remarks after meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum, Yonhap said. Song also said he and Negroponte agreed that they will continue to work for the safe release of the hostages. On Wednesday, Song said upon his departure to Manila that "the most important thing now is to make sure no other hostages are killed. So the important thing is to let the kidnappers know through all available means that they too have nothing to gain by killing additional hostages." Afghan Taliban militants kidnapped 23 South Koreans in Afghanistan on July 19 and demanded an immediate withdrawal of South Korean troops in Afghanistan and the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange for the release of hostages. However, the Afghan government has repeatedly announced that no prisoner-for-hostage trade will be allowed. Two South Korean male hostages have been killed by the kidnappers so far. The militants warned to kill all hostages if any military rescue operations are conducted. The South Korean government strongly condemned the killing of hostages and appealed for cooperation from international communities to resolve the hostage crisis.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

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