Seoul confirms death of second hostage

SEOUL, July 31 (UPI) -- South Korea confirmed that a second hostage among South Koreans taken captive by the Taliban has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Foreign Ministry Tuesday identified the victim as Shim Sung-min, a 29-year-old Christian aid volunteer.

"One of our citizens kidnapped in Afghanistan, Shim Sung-min, was confirmed on July 31 to have been killed," Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong said at a news briefing. "The government cannot hide its anger and strongly denounces the Taliban militants for brutally murdering (him)."

Shim, a former technology firm worker in Seoul, has done volunteer work for the poor in South Korea, according to his family members. His bullet-riddled body was found on a road near the city of Ghazni, where 23 South Korean aid workers were kidnapped July 19.

The killing comes a week after the Taliban militants shot dead Bae Hyung-kyu, who was leading the South Korean group after their demand was not met. His body arrived in Seoul Monday amid pleas for the release of hostages.