SEOUL, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The 22 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan are safe and the South Korean government is keeping contact with the kidnappers, said a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry on Friday.

    The government is doing its utmost to seek safe release of the kidnapped South Koreans and keeps close cooperation with the Afghan government, international community and the United Nations, said the spokesman at a briefing with foreign correspondents here.

    The 22 hostages are confirmed to be safe and the South Korean government is keeping contact with the kidnappers through various channels, he added.

    He stressed that the kidnapped South Koreans are medical volunteers in Afghanistan.

    He said a special envoy of South Korean president has left for Afghanistan Thursday under an agreement between the presidents of South Korean and Afghanistan.