By Soh Ji-young
Staff Reporter

Utterly in shock and despair, the family of the Korean abducted by Iraqi militants on Monday pleaded with the government to do whatever it takes to save their son, even if it means pulling out Korean troops from Iraq.

``I don’t know why this had to happen,’’ said teary-eyed Shin Young-ja, mother of Kim Sun-il, 33.

``I used to think the troop dispatch must take place even when my son was in Iraq, but now in such a situation, my son must be saved first,’’ the 63-year-old said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency.

``There can be no country without the people. The government must reconsider the troop dispatch and do everything to save Sun-il.’’

With his hands trembling and eyes blood-shot, Kim’s father, Kim Chong-kyu, also begged for help to rescue his son from death.

``If he dies, my life has no meaning. I ask nothing other than Sun-il’s safe return home,’’ he said.

Kim’s family members said that they did not worry too much of his safety as he had reassured them he was doing translation work in the rear and out of harm’s way.

```He called in April to say he was safe and promised to come home in July to celebrate his father’s 70th birthday,’’ said Kim’s sister, Jung-sook.

Saying that Kim’s life cannot be saved if the government decides to go ahead with sending additional troops to Iraq, Kim’s family urged the government to reconsider their decision.

Video footage released by Arabic television station Al Jazeera on Monday showed Kim, a translator working for a Korean trading company operating in Baghdad, held hostage by armed Iraqi insurgents.

They threatened to behead Kim within 24 hours if the Korean government does not withdrawal plans to deploy 3,000 troops to northern Iraq.

jysoh@koreatimes.co.kr