ROK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES HOSTAGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 002209

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PLEASE PASS TO COMUSKOREA SCJS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV MARR AF KS
SUBJECT: ROK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES HOSTAGE
SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: CDA Bill Stanton. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) In a July 23 meeting with the CDA, ROK Deputy Foreign
Minister Shim Yoon-joe expressed ROKG appreciation for USG
cooperation and information sharing in handling the Taliban
kidnapping of Korean civilians in Afghanistan. In
particular, Shim said that the ROKG appreciated USG
assurances that no military rescue operation would be
launched without prior consultations.

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REITERATING THE KOREAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL
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2. (C) Shim also explained why, in response to the
kidnappers' demands, the ROKG had decided to reiterate its
intention to withdraw ROK troops from Afghanistan by
year-end. (NOTE: At the end of last year, the ROK National
Assembly had directed that the ROK military contingent in
Afghanistan be completely withdrawn by the end of this year.
END NOTE.) Although it had been a "tough decision to make,"
Shim said the ROKG had decided that the reiteration of the
plan could help secure the safety of the ROK citizens,
especially since the troop withdrawal in any case had already
been decided and communicated to the USG and Government of
Afghanistan. If, however, the ROKG had not publicly
reiterated the intention to withdraw and ROK hostages were
killed, it would have had a negative impact on maintaining
ROK forces in Afghanistan until the end of 2007 and could
have also affected ROKG consideration of contributing to a
PRT. Shim hinted that preempting the negative impact of
potential casualties and showing that MOFAT was doing all it
could to secure the safe return of the hostages might leave
open the possibility that the ROK could contribute to a PRT
in Afghanistan at some point.

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TALIBAN DEMANDS
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3. (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Shim told CDA that the ROKG
had received no formal demands from the Taliban militants,
but that Afghan "local elders," (2 local assemblymen and 8
tribal leaders),had been in discussions with the Taliban
since Sunday, July 22. The hostage takers were said to be
from the "Abdul Group," and the Government of Afghanistan was
tracing the activities of this group and watching the group
and its leader. The latest word from the Government of
Afghanistan was that the hostages were safe, despite some
rumors to the contrary. Shim said that he appreciated the
quick USG efforts to help discredit the false rumors. (NOTE:
With the assistance of Op Center, Embassy Kabul and USFK,
Embassy was in contact with MOFAT throughout the weekend
clarifying reported events taking place in Afghanistan and
dispelling rumors. END NOTE.)


4. (C) Shim said the ROKG had received through various
channels unofficial demands for: (1) the withdrawal of ROKG
troops; (2) the release of Taliban prisoners; and (3) a
commitment that no military rescue operations would be
launched. There had also been rumors of possible demands for
ransom, but these rumors had not been verified. Shin
reiterated that the ROKG had already planned to withdraw ROK
troops by year-end and that this plan was well understood by
the USG and the Government of Afghanistan. As for Taliban
prisoner releases, the ROKG view was that this was beyond the
ROKG's control. Shim said that the ROKG had only asked the
Government of Afghanistan to "cooperate for the swift and
safe return" of the hostages, and had not elaborated on what
this might entail. Finally, Shim said that the ROKG had
already asked the USG and Government of Afghanistan not to
conduct military rescue operations without prior ROKG
consultations.

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NEXT STEPS
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5. (C) Shim explained that the ROKG had dispatched to
Afghanistan Vice Foreign Minister Cho Jung-pyo, who had

arrived on Sunday, July 22, Afghan local time. Cho had met
with Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Vice Minister of
Internal Affairs, the head of the National Department for
Security, and Ambassador Wood. In addition, the ROKG was
consulting closely with the Government of Afghanistan. Shin
said that Afghanistan had established an inter-Agency task
force on the hostage issue and that the ROK Ambassador to
Afghanistan was participating in the task force meetings.
The ROKG would also send a five-person military delegation to
Afghanistan to help with local coordination and information
gathering. Shim said that the ROKG expected to hear the
Taliban's official demands later on July 23. Once the
"elders" received a "demand list," they would present it to
the Afghanistan taskforce, which would consult with the ROKG.
STANTON