YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) Taliban not releasing S. Korean hostages yet: spokesman

SEOUL, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- The Taliban have shelved their plan to free two female South Korean captives in Afghanistan, a self-styled spokesman for the Islamic fundamentalist group, said Sunday, dashing hopes of a breakthrough in the protracted hostage crisis.

   A group of 23 South Korean volunteer aid workers were seized at gunpoint by Taliban rebels in central Afghanistan on July 19. Two males hostages, including a clergyman, were later shot dead after the Afghan government refused to trade the Koreans for an equal number of jailed insurgent prisoners.

   In the first face-to-face negotiations with South Korean officials on Saturday, Taliban leaders reportedly agreed to set free two sick female hostages as a sign of good faith but they later shelved the plan, according to Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, who describes himself as speaking for the Taliban.

   "The plan to release two female hostages first is still valid, but the timing has not been fixed yet," Ahmadi told Yonhap News Agency by telephone.

   The spokesman said Taliban's plan to release two Korean women was put on hold at the last moment. He declined further comments, only saying, "I hope the situation will be resolved quickly."
Ahmadi's comments contradicted his earlier remarks made to Yonhap News Agency, in which he said his group had cancelled its plan to release two Koreans.

   Some speculated that the spokesman's comments may indicate discord within the Taliban leadership over the fate of the Korean captives.

   South Korean government officials took a cautious stand.

   "If we have information to give you, we will let you know," Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong said. "It is not appropriate to comment on each media report."
On Saturday night, Ahmadi reported progress in direct negotiations with the South Korean government, saying that two sick female hostages would be freed very soon.

   China's Xinhua news agency even quoted Ahmadi as saying that two Korean women had already been set free.

   lcd@yna.co.kr
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