GHAZNI, Afghanistan (AP) - A Taliban deadline for the lives of the remaining 21 South Korean hostages passed without immediate word on their fate today, and the Afghan army dropped leaflets in the area warning residents of an upcoming military mission.

The deadline passed a day after Afghan police found the body of a second hostage slain since the church-group volunteers were seized two weeks ago. A purported Taliban spokesman had demanded the release of eight militant prisoners, including some held by the United States at Bagram.

South Korea said it would send a parliamentary delegation to the United States to seek cooperation in resolving the crisis, and relatives of the hostages pleaded for help at Washington’s embassy in the South Korean capital.

Qari Yousef Ahmadi, who claims to speak for the Taliban, told The Associated Press after the noon deadline passed that the remaining 21 hostages were still alive, though two female hostages were very sick and could die from illness.

Ahmadi said Mullah Omar, the Taliban’s elusive leader whose whereabouts are not known, appointed three members of the Taliban’s high council to oversee the hostage situation and they would have the power to order them slain at any time.

The Taliban has extended several deadlines by hours or days. However, the militia has killed two captives hours after two previous deadlines.

Afghan National Army helicopters, meanwhile, dropped leaflets in Ghazni province - where the South Koreans were kidnapped and are being held - warning people of an upcoming military operation in the area. But the military said the mission was weeks away and wasn’t connected to the hostages, denying media reports claiming a rescue attempt had been launched.

Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi said the leaflets were dropped to avoid civilian casualties. "This operation has no relation to the Korean kidnapping case," he said.

The leaflets said a military operation was planned in the area and warned residents: "In order for you to be safe and not be affected by the operation, we call on you to move to secure, government-controlled areas."

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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