S Koreans Christians told 'convert or die'
Pastor Dale Morgan
S Koreans Christians told 'convert or die'*
The former hostages said they thought they would be killed
A group of South Koreans held hostage by Taleban militants in
Afghanistan have said they were beaten and ordered at gunpoint to
convert to Islam.
At a news conference in Seoul, the former captives also said they were
made to work "like slaves" during their six-week ordeal.
Twenty-one members of the group were freed last month following an
agreement between South Korea and the captors.
Two of the hostages - all Christian aid workers - had already been killed.
Beaten and kicked
The former hostages said they feared for their lives at times when their
captors turned violent.
"We were beaten with a tree branch or kicked around. Some kidnappers
threatened us with death at gunpoint to force us to follow them in
chanting their Islamic prayer for conversion," said Jae Chang-hee.
Armed Taleban aimed their guns at us, and a pit was before me
Yu Jung-hwa
"I was beaten many times. They pointed a rifle and bayonet at me and
tried to force me to convert."
He said the group "lived like slaves. We had to level the ground for
motorbikes, and get water and make a fire".
Another of the group, Yu Jung-hwa, described how she thought she was
going to die.
"The most difficult moment, when I had a big fear of death, was when the
Taleban shot [a] video.
"All 23 of us leaned against a wall and armed Taleban aimed their guns
at us, and a pit was before me.
"They said they will save us if we believe in Islam. I almost fainted at
the time and I still cannot look at cameras," she said.
Leader executed
Cha Hae-jin said the group were kept "in a closed place like a shed" and
were not allowed to go out. "It was like suffocating", she said.
Han Ji-young recalled how the leader of the group, Bae Hyung-kyu, was
led away to his death.
"One day, a Taleban called Bae and checked his first and last names and
took him out of the room.
"Bae didn't even look at us when he was leaving the room. He only said
'Overcome with faith'," Ms Han said, in tears.
South Korea's intelligence chief has refused to deny that his government
paid a ransom to obtain the group's release.