(26 Jul 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Exterior of governor's guest house
2. Set-up shot of Marajudin Pathan, governor of Ghazni province
3. Cameraman
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Marajudin Pathan, governor of Ghazni province:
"We will continue to the last moment to (help) release the hostages through peaceful channels, through negotiations. If all channels fail then we will make the decision, we will make the appropriate, the best decision."
5. Officials sitting
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Marajudin Pathan, the governor of Ghazni province:
"It's very, quite, clear they were doctors. They wanted to go to the hospitals in Kandahar and different areas to treat people in the best, humanistic manner but unfortunately they are now in the hands of the terrorists."
7. Pathan talking with reporters
STORYLINE:
A top South Korean envoy headed to Afghanistan on Thursday, scrambling to save 22 of his country's citizens held captive by Taliban kidnappers after the militants killed one hostage.
An Afghan police chief ruled out using force to free the others and said that the Afghan negotiators were speaking with the Taliban over the phone, hoping to secure their release.
A purported Taliban spokesman said the hostages were being kept in small separate groups, and reiterated the demand that Taliban prisoners be released in exchange for the Koreans' freedom.
Marajudin Pathan, the governor of Ghazni province, said militants have given a list of eight Taliban prisoners who they want released in exchange for eight Koreans.
"We will continue to the last moment to (help) release the hostages through peaceful channels, through negotiations," Pathan said.
"It's very, quite, clear they were doctors. They wanted to the hospitals in Kandahar and different areas to treat people in the best, humanistic manner," Pathan added.
On Wednesday, authorities found the bullet-riddled body of 42-year-old Bae Hyung-kyu in Qarabagh district of Ghazni province where the South Koreans were abducted July 19.
The killing sparked outrage in South Korea, where the envoy warned that those responsible would be held accountable.
After conflicting reports on Wednesday from Western and Afghan officials that possibly eight of the other hostages had been released, South Korean presidential spokesman Chun Ho-sun said the 22 were still believed held but not suffering from health problems.
The Taliban also said the hostages were fine.
The South Koreans, including 18 women, were kidnapped while on a bus trip through Ghazni province on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, Afghanistan's main thoroughfare.
South Korea has banned its citizens from travelling to Afghanistan in the wake of the kidnappings.
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