Korean families to meet after rare agreement
Print Edition
A REUNION for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War is due to be held later this month — the first such event for more than three years.
The agreement marks a rare moment of cooperation between North and South Korea, especially coming just weeks before South Korea kicks off joint military exercises with the United States that have been denounced by Pyongyang.
Officials from both sides meeting in the border truce village of Panmunjom decided the reunion would be held on February 20-25 at North Korea’s Mount Kumgang resort.
“We hope that the latest agreement will be smoothly carried out to ease the suffering and pain of separated families,” South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in a statement.
It had been agreed to hold a reunion in September but, even as the chosen relatives prepared to make their way to Mount Kumgang, Pyongyang canceled at the last minute, citing “hostility” from South Korea.
There are concerns the families could end up being disappointed again, given the unresolved tensions surrounding the South Korea-US military drills due to begin later this month.
North Korea has warned of dire consequences if the exercises go ahead.
The reunion program began in earnest in 2000. Sporadic events since then have seen around 17,000 relatives briefly reunited.
The program was suspended in 2010 following the shelling of a South Korean border island.
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