Ministers from the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) have urged the release of 21 South Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Philippines News Agency reported that participants in the annual security forum adopted a statement Thursday, calling for the international community's cooperation on the matter and the hostages' immediate release.

At the forum's opening ceremony in Manila, Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo said that all participants wish that the remaining 21 hostages will be returned to their families as soon as possible.

South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon expressed his thanks at the meeting for the encouragement he had received from allies, and called for continued support for the hostages' safe return.

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