Criticism of ''rash'' evangelism by South Korean missionaries broke out this week after the release of 19 Christian volunteers put an end to a six-week hostage crisis.
Tension was especially palpable in South Korea Sunday as the 19 former hostages returned home to a lukewarm reception from fellow citizens. Their safe return gave way to unhindered criticism of the group’s disregard for government warnings as well as of current Korean church mission strategies.
“They had travelled to a country that the Korean Government had explicitly warned against by posting ample signs and notice,” read an editorial in Chosun Ilbo – the largest newspaper in South Korea.
Furthermore, the newspaper denounced the group for forcing the Korean Government to hold face-to-face negotiations with the Taliban, an act which has elicited rebuke from the international community.
“All of this happened simply because some young Koreans travelled to Afghanistan totally unprepared and ended up getting kidnapped,” Chosun Ilbo stated.
The original group of 23 Korean Christian volunteers was kidnapped by Taliban militants on July 19 while on their way to provide free medical aid to poor Afghans. Over the course of 40 days, the rebels killed two men and freed two women before releasing the last groups of hostages on Wednesday and Thursday.
Korean media have accused the church group of not properly preparing before travelling to the dangerous country. They were said to have only studied the Afghan language once or twice a week for three months and received some medical and educational training. However, they failed to prepare for the possibility of an abduction or other likely dangers in highly volatile Afghanistan.
