South Korean officials and Taliban militants resumed face-to-face negotiations Thursday in Afghanistan over the fate of 19 Koreans held captive since mid-July, but the talks ended without agreement.

The two groups met at the office of the Afghan Red Crescent in Ghanzi, west of Kabul. International Red Cross officials were present to help with the meeting.

These two women were released by the Taliban on Monday. Thursday's talks between South Korean and Taliban officials over the remaining 19 hostages ended without agreement.
(Musadeq Sadeq/Associated Press)

The Taliban are demanding the release of eight prisoners held by the Afghan government before they will release any more of the South Koreans, a Taliban spokesman said. The Afghan government has previously rejected that demand.

South Korean negotiators said they cannot release prisoners held by the Afghan government, a Taliban spokesman said following Thursday's meeting.

The spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said the Taliban would decide soon whether it would continue to negotiate.

The Taliban kidnapped 23 South Koreans, who are Christian aid volunteers, on  July 19. Since then, they have executed two of the men.

On Aug. 13, the militants released two female captives. Five men and 14 women are still being held.

The Taliban want the South Korean government to put pressure on the Afghan administration to release imprisoned militants.

South Korea has called for the Afghan government to be flexible, but said the release of its citizens should be unconditional.

With files from the Associated Press