South Korea: Taliban set to free seven remaining hostages

Taliban militants were expected to release seven remaining South Korean hostages Thursday, bringing to an end a six-week drama that saw two captives executed by the kidnappers, a South Korean official said. South Korean presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-sun said Thursday that once free, the group will be heading to Kabul before returning home via Dubai. On Wednesday, the Taliban released 12 of 19 South Koreans held hostage, as part of a deal with Seoul that one Afghan minister warned would embolden the insurgents. The hostages were released into the care of officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross at three separate locations in central Afghanistan. None of the 12 spoke to reporters.