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Family members of the Korean hostages are suffering along with the victims in Afghanistan, with reports of parents passing out and being hospitalised from the emotional strain.

One hostage’s family member, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “I try to sleep so that I don’t pass out, but I just can’t sleep. I’m bearing so much, just thinking about my kidnapped child,” according to Chosun Ilbo - South Korea’s largest newspaper.

Family members have dark circles under their eyes and carry weary faces as they take turns with vigils each night. Stress is especially high each time a deadline approaches.

“They are suffering from severe indigestion and heart pains due to the continued mental trauma,” said Dr. Cha Byeong-ho, who is looking after the health of the families at the hostages’ home church in Bundang, just south of the South Korean capital Seoul, according to Chosun Ilbo.

If the families decide to make the trip, they want to make the visit before the two-day summit meeting between Afghan president Hamid Karzai and President Bush starting on Sunday.

The two leaders will discuss strategies on how to stabilise the war-torn country as Afghanistan faces the worst level of violence over the past 18 months since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001. Solutions to the hostage crisis are also expected to be discussed.

“We plead with the U.S. government for help: the kidnapped went there to share love, but they are having days like hell. We believe the Bush administration will act for humanitarianism,” read the letter submitted by the families to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday, according to The Korea Times.

A South Korean delegation arrived Thursday in Washington to appeal for U.S. help in the hostage crisis. South Korea expressed hope Friday that advancements will be made during this weekend’s summit to win the release of the hostages, according to Reuters.

South Korea said it has conveyed to the Taliban that it is virtually powerless in granting the rebels’ demand to free prisoners held by the Afghan government and U.S. forces.

“Through our contacts, our foremost goal is to make it clear that there is a limit as to what our government can do to meet their demands of releasing the prisoners," presidential spokesman Chun Ho-sun told reporters Friday, according to Reuters.