Koreans feel stress, anxiety, fretfulness and powerlessness as a group in the face of the news of kidnap, murder, threats and helplessness.

Among hundreds of responses or articles or reports about this incident, a lot of scornful or anti-Christian messages can easily be found, but mainly the mood is quite cool and restrained, and most express wishes for the safe return of the captured.

Most Koreans, including journalists, show deep sympathy toward the victims.  I would like to sum up two strands among the responses.

A reporter of The Pressian, one of the main online news agencies, points to one of the main fabrications among such responses:

It's maintained that aggressive, one-sided and hostile missionary work caused this incident.  They insist that Korean Christians pursue conversion by ignoring other cultures, and so do not have the mind-set of humanitarian voluntary service.

However, most missionary work in Islamic areas is humanitarian service, for Afghan society punishes converts with the death sentence.

There is no clue or indication that the team irritated the Muslims by exclusively missionary work.  The kidnappers admitted that they did not even know that the group was Korean.

The kidnapping is a political activity carried out by the Taleban to try to achieve their aim of an exchange of prisoners by threatening the lives of civilians.  It becomes a universal issue - kidnap in troubled areas. Journalists, political foundations, religious groups, NGOs are exposed to the danger of being held and kept.

One spokesperson described the victims of this incident as 'Good Samaritans'.  Afghans stand in need of humanitarian work by other 'Good Samaritans'. 

A Christian writer pinched the tone of English-language journalists, which criticises the 'overheated' overseas mission work of Korean churches.

'Anti-Christians' say that the Times loaded an article, which insisted that Korean churches try to increase the number of their members and income by making heroes of missionaries in dangerous areas.

The reporter declares that it is the US that was primarily responsible for the conflict in the area.  The US once supported Saddam Hussain, the Taleban and Al Quaeda, but subsequently attacked them when they came to pose an anti-USA threat.

This writer indicates that they, Americans, seem to indulge their political forces by making a victim of a missional activity of a small country and avoiding the root of the conflict. 

Recently a major Gallop research poll reported the results of 700 telephone interviews.  The reliance of the poll was given as 95% and the margin for error only + or - 3.7%.

1. 65.8% believed the negotiators should accept the demand of exchanging Taleban prisoners; 61.2% believed the US government has the key to solving the situation
2. 59.3% believe that it's irresponsible for the US to just say that the alliance is 'not to negotiate with terrorists'; 37.8% believe that the US government can do so.
3. 51% were for solving the situation by military action; 42.7% were against solving the situation by military action.
4. If the situation gets worse, 32.9% of public opinion is for revenge against the Taleban, and 30.4% will feel anti-USA.

The list of the known hostages at present is as follows:
The Rev Bae Hyong Gyu, 42 m, Lee Son Young 70 f, Soh Myong Hua 78 f, Cha Hye Jin 76 f, Soh Gyong Sok 80, Koh Se Hun 80, Kim Ji Na 75 f, Kim Gyong Ja 70 f, Yu Jong Hua 68 f, Je Chang Hi 69, Shim Song Min 78, Lee Ju Yon 80 f, Yu Kyong Shik 52, Song Byong Wu 74, Lee Young Kyong 85 f, Han Ji Young 73 f, Kim Yun Kyong 72 f, Ahn Hye Jin 76 f, Lee Song Un 83 f.

The Rev Bae Hyng Gyu and Mr Shim Song Min were killed.

The latter left an IT company when he decided to pursue agricultural science so as to help the farming sector, which suffers from market forces.  He was a new believer, a convert from a Buddhist background.

The situation is rapidly changing and it is difficult to sum up the mixed thoughts and feelings of Koreans.  The first thing to emphasise is that Koreans eagerly desire and await their safe return.  The second is their feeling of helplessness.  It's also felt that the Korean Church should have a time of prayer, of self-reflection on its faults in its attitude and a time to mature while, at the same time, preserving its enthusiasm.