Taliban fighters kidnapped 18 South Korean nationals in Ghazni province of central Afghanistan on Thursday, a purported Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said Friday.

Ahmadi told Xinhua from an undisclosed place that the Taliban leadership after an investigation would decide the fate of the hostages, among whom were 15 women and three men. He said some Afghans were kidnapped together with them.

Meanwhile, Ghazni police chief Alishah Ahmadzai told Xinhua Taliban militants abducted some South Koreans traveling in a civilian vehicle on Kabul-Kandahar road in the province at 4:30 PM (12:00 GMT) Thursday. But he failed to tell how many people were kidnapped.

South Korean foreign ministry said Friday that intelligence showed about its 20 nationals were kidnapped by Taliban militants and it was trying to confirm the incident through various channels.

"Considering a variety of circumstantial evidence, chances are high that the report is true," the ministry said.

Several South Korean civic activists are working in the war- torn country, and South Korea has stationed a 200-strong military contingent there since early 2002 for peacekeeping efforts.

Around 1,200 South Korean Christians including hundreds of children arrived in Afghanistan last summer.

Taliban militants have carried out kidnappings in this country over the past two years frequently, while most of the foreign hostages were released eventually.

Two Germans and five Afghans were abducted by militants in Wardak province of central Afghanistan on July 18.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2007)