There is no word yet on the fate of 22 South Korean hostages held by Taleban insurgents in Afghanistan, after the passing of the latest negotiating deadline. A purported Taleban spokesman earlier warned all 22 would be killed if the captors' demands were not met. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul, where officials confirm the arrival of a South Korean presidential envoy in the Afghan capital.

Baek Jong-chun, South Korea's chief presidential secretary for security affairs, 26 July 2007

Taleban insurgents killed a 42-year-old Christian pastor Wednesday, a week after they kidnapped him and 22 other South Korean Christian activists.

Another deadline passed Friday, after which a man calling himself a Taleban spokesman told several reporters remaining hostages would be killed if the militants' demands were not met.

In a phone call with reporters, female hostage Lim Hyun-joo said the kidnappers' demands are twofold.

Speaking in Dari in the presence of her captors, Lim says the Taleban want money from South Korea, and the release of Taleban comrades from Afghan prisons.

Switching to her native Korean, Lim made an impassioned plea for action.

She begs for help in ending the crisis, and says all of the hostages are sick.

A group of South Korean Christians pose for a memorial photo before leaving for Afghanistan, 13 Jul 2007

Several hundred South Korean military and civilian personnel provide non-combat support to multinational stabilization efforts in Afghanistan. However, prior to the abductions, Seoul had announced those personnel would be withdrawn by the end of the year.