SEOUL - South Korean hostages set free by Afghan rebels after six weeks in captivity are likely to receive a mixed homecoming with many awaiting their weekend arrival with relief but also seeing them as largely to blame for their ordeal.
Seven remaining hostages were handed over to officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross in southeast Afghanistan late on Thursday.
Twelve were freed on Wednesday and two earlier. Two of the 23 Christian volunteers abducted on July 19 had been killed.
"This crisis raised grave questions about the divide between the country's responsibility and the responsibility of individuals," the mainstream JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial on Friday.
The six-week hostage ordeal gripped the country, leading thousands to hold candlelight vigils praying for the hostages' safe return.
At the same time, many people harshly criticised the suburban Seoul church that sent the group to Afghanistan and the volunteers themselves for ignoring numerous government warnings and making an ill-advised mission to an obvious danger spot.
"They did a great disservice to the government and to the people, and also disgraced the honour of the country," said Chung Kyung-joon, a 23-year-old resident of Seoul. "They must pay a price for that."
South Korea, which is sensitive to how it is perceived in the international community, has been criticised by some governments after it struck a deal with the Taliban.
