Seoul, South Korea - The South Korean church that sent a group of Christian aid workers to Afghanistan said it had been asked to pay more than 60,000 dollars towards the cost of rescuing them from the Taliban.
The 19 aid workers were taken hostage by the Taliban after undertaking the trip in defiance of foreign ministry warnings, and only freed after Seoul government negotiators reached a deal with the kidnappers.
Kwon Hyuk-Soo, a senior member at Saem-Mul church, said the bill of some 64,000 dollars was to cover air tickets, accommodation and other expenses.
"The church plans to pay it back after reviewing it because it already promised to do so. It will be covered by donations from church members," Kwon told Yonhap news agency, adding the request was made last week. He and other other church members refused to comment when contacted by AFP.
Seoul has insisted that either the church or the former hostages' families should foot the bill for their rescue.
The church has been heavily criticised for sending 23 of its members to the war-torn Islamic nation, where they were abducted and held for six weeks before their release. Two of the hostages were shot dead.
Under the deal with the kidnappers, Seoul agreed to withdraw its 210 non-combat troops from Afghanistan by year-end and to stop its missionaries from going there.
It has denied media reports that a ransom was paid to the Taliban.