'Miracle' Afghan Arrivals in Korea, "Had to Save Families from Taliban Executions"

[Asia Economy Reporter Inho Yoo] Afghan collaborators who successfully escaped to Korea in two separate instances cited the safety of their families as the reason for heading to Korea.

The 391 people transferred to Korea are Afghans whom the government sought to rescue from Taliban threats. They are individuals and their families who have assisted the Korean government’s reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan over the past several years.

An Afghan who once helped Korea is boarding a bus on the 27th at the Marina Bay Hotel in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, heading to the National Human Resources Development Institute for Public Officials in Jincheon, Chungbuk. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

The Korean government became involved in Afghanistan by dispatching non-combat troops in 2001 at the request of the United States, which attacked Afghanistan under the pretext of terrorism and war.

Although the military units withdrew in December 2007, the government continued to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction alongside the international community until the regime recently fell to the Taliban, employing many locals in the process.

In particular, from 2010 to 2014, the government sent Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) to operate local hospitals and vocational training centers.

A total of 76 households, comprising 391 people including doctors, nurses, IT experts, interpreters, instructors, and other professionals who worked there, along with their families, have now set foot on Korean soil.

There are about 70 families, including approximately 100 infants and toddlers and around 80 children aged 6 to 10. Nearly half of the 391 people are children under the age of 10.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As the Taliban’s takeover of the regime became imminent, they requested support for travel to Korea from the Korean Embassy in Afghanistan.

Although the Taliban announced an amnesty order on the 17th for those who cooperated with the previous Afghan government and foreign governments, few believe that promise will be kept.

Reprisals against interpreters and other U.S. military collaborators have already been reported.

An Afghan woman, Ms. A, who successfully escaped from Afghanistan, explained the reason for coming to Korea: “Coming to Korea was an easy decision. It was necessary to save my family’s lives from the Taliban.”

Ms. A, who escaped Kabul with the support of the Korean government, arrived at Islamabad, Pakistan, the transit point, and gave an interview. The interview was arranged at Islamabad airport the day before departure to Korea at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press corps.

She worked at the Korean Embassy in Kabul for 2 years and 4 months starting from September 2013. She was included among the 427 “Afghan collaborators” eligible to choose Korea.

Ms. A was one of the 26 people who first escaped Kabul on a Korean military transport plane and arrived in Korea on the 26th with her husband and two sons.

She mentioned that she lived in a relatively distant area from Kabul and described the process of getting to the airport.

Ms. A said, “We left home early in the morning and headed to the airport, but unlike others, we did not encounter Taliban checkpoints. This was because we took a different route and did not use the well-known roads or highways.”

She said that the decision to go to Korea was made one week prior: “For a week, I communicated daily via email with the embassy to check the situation. The embassy informed me when and where I needed to be. I came here 3 to 4 days after receiving the travel certificate.”

When asked if she had anything to say to the Korean government, she replied, “I have nothing more to say other than ‘thank you.’”

Mr. B, a man who worked with Koreans in Afghanistan for three years, had a reason for leaving his hometown similar to Ms. A’s. Mr. B, who also worked at the Korean Embassy, said, “The Taliban are looking for people who worked for foreign organizations. The Taliban are a danger to me and my family.”

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

He added, “The situation at Kabul airport was very bad due to crowds trying to enter regardless of passport possession. The Korean team worked day and night to get us inside the airport,” expressing gratitude to the Korean government.

Gong Deok-su, former director of the Bagram Staff Training Center, said, “Recently, the Korean hospital and vocational training center buildings at the Bagram U.S. military base were blown up by the Taliban. It is almost certain that collaborators at the hospital and vocational training center will be executed under Taliban rule if left behind.”

He continued, “Rescuing them is not only a humanitarian issue but also an important opportunity to reaffirm to the international community the Korean government and people’s faithfulness and determination that Korea never abandons its friends.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.