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North Korea calls off tearful family reunions
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North Korea yesterday indefinitely postponed reunions for families separated since the Korean War, just days before they were to resume, leaving relatives “disappointed beyond description.”
The highly symbolic and emotional meetings of selected families from the two countries, separated for six decades by the 1950-53 Korean War, would have been the first reunions in three years.
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency quoted the government as saying Seoul’s “hostile” policy was to blame for the last-minute cancellation, singling out South Korea’s military exercises with the US and a recent crackdown on allegedly pro-Pyongyang leftists.
Analysts believe the move is designed to place pressure on Seoul to resume cross-border tours to a scenic resort that is an important source of revenue for the Pyongyang government.
“We postpone the impending reunions of separated families until a normal atmosphere is created for talks and negotiations to be able to move forward,” North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said.
“As long as South Korea’s conservatives deal (with) inter-Korean relations (with) hostility and abuse... such a basic humanitarian issue as family reunions cannot be resolved.”
Millions of Koreans were left separated by the Korean War. Most have died without having the chance to reunite with family members last seen six decades ago.
The two sides had agreed to hold six days of reunions at North Korea’s Mount Kumgang resort from September 25 to 30.
Kang Neung-Hwan, 92, who lives in North Korea and desperately hoped to see his son, told Yonhap news agency: “I am greatly disappointed. It’s increasingly painful for me to wait to see my son.”
Koh Jeong-Sam said his 95-year-old mother had already purchased presents she wanted to give to her sisters in North Korea.
“My mother was disappointed beyond description,” he said.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry expressed “deep regret” at the “unilateral” and “inhumane” action, which it said could not be justified under any circumstances.
“The breach of a hard-won agreement by North Korea would bring inter-Korean relations back to confrontation. There will be nothing for it to gain,” the ministry said in a statement.
The final list had included 96 South Koreans and 100 North Koreans for the visit.
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