Home   >   News   >   Korea   >   Koreas exchange final list of separated families for reunions

Koreas exchange final list of separated families for reunions

October 8, 2015
South Korean resident Kim Woo-jong (R), 87, learns he was included in the final list of family members separated by the 1950-53 Korean War to join the upcoming reunions, as he meets with Kim Sung-joo, South Korea`s Red Cross chief, at his house in Seoul on Oct. 8, 2015. The relief group handed over a list of 90 South Koreans hoping to meet their relatives living in North Korea while the North delivered a list of 97 North Korean family members to the South. (Yonhap)

South Korean resident Kim Woo-jong (R), 87, learns he was included in the final list of family members separated by the 1950-53 Korean War to join the upcoming reunions, as he meets with Kim Sung-joo, South Korea`s Red Cross chief, at his house in Seoul on Oct. 8, 2015. The relief group handed over a list of 90 South Koreans hoping to meet their relatives living in North Korea while the North delivered a list of 97 North Korean family members to the South. (Yonhap)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — South and North Korea Thursday exchanged the final list of family members separated by the 1950-53 Korean War to join the upcoming reunions, the Unification Ministry said.

South Korea’s Red Cross handed over a list of 90 South Koreans hoping to meet their relatives living in the North, the ministry said. In return, North Korea delivered a list of 97 North Korean family members to the South.

Last month, South and North Korea agreed to hold the reunions for 100 separated family members from each side on Oct. 20-26 at a scenic resort on Mount Kumgang on the North’s east coast.

But the actual number of people to join the reunions will be less than 100 as living separated families, mostly in their 80s and older, suffer from health problems or their beloved ones living across the border have already died.

The upcoming event is the outcome of the two Koreas’ landmark deal that was reached on Aug. 25 to ease military tension and follow through with the family reunions.

More than 66,000 South Koreans are currently living without being able to see their loved ones across the border following the Korean War, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving South and North Korea technically at war.

The issue of the separated families is one of the most pressing humanitarian matters, as about half of the estimated 129,700 South Korean applicants for the reunions have died.

Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo told lawmakers on Thursday that preparations for the reunions are under way without a hitch.

North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats have raised doubts about the feasibility of the reunion event. The family reunions were last held in February 2014.

The ministry said that there has been no sign of an imminent rocket launch by North Korea ahead of its 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which falls on Saturday.