S Korea agonises over hostages

It is the rainy season in South Korea. Dark skies and long days of torrential rain are common in July and August.

The gloomy weather seems to reflect the mood of many South Koreans as they wait to hear the fate of the 21 hostages still being held by the Taleban in Afghanistan.

The captives' plight has become a national obsession. It is the top story on television and radio and on the front pages of the newspapers.

But there is also anger about what the South Koreans were doing in a conflict zone like Afghanistan in the first place.