Couple Reunites After Korean War Forced Them To Separate 65 Years Ago

Almost 400 South Koreans crossed the heavily armed border into North Korea on Tuesday full of joyful anticipation at reuniting with family.

North and South Korea planned three days of reunions at the Kumgang Mountain resort just north of their shared border.

Footage of the family reunions was broadcasted throughout South Korea.

Lee was pregnant at the time and she was accompanied to the reunion by her 65-year-old son, who was able to use the greeting “father” for the first time in his life when Oh walked into the banquet hall.

Lee’s son, who accompanied her previous year, said it was obvious that his aunts were concerned about wiretapping even during the private meeting at the hotel room.

“This is your daughter”.

Seemingly overcome by the moment, Ri just nodded and squeezed his sister’s hand before asking for news of other family members in the South.

Referring to the laws that will expand the Self-Defense Forces’ overseas role, Nakatani assured Han that Japan will not stage military operations in South Korea’s territory without Seoul’s consent.

Korean families torn apart by the 1950-53 war were reunited Tuesday as a result of a major inter-Korean humanitarian programme.

The chaos and devastation separated brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands and wives.

Approximately 66,000 South Koreans, more than half of whom are aged 80 and up, are waiting to be reunited with North Korean relatives.

The reunions were suspended in 2010 after North Korea fired artillery shells at a South Korean border island, and Pyongyang canceled reunions planned in 2013 at the last minute after claiming Seoul was trying to overthrow North Korea’s government.

They had also packed photographs of their hometowns and of the grave sites of dead relatives, as well as underwear, medicine, cash and other gifts.

South Koreans wore business suits to the event the reunion, and a few wore “hanbok“, the traditional Korean attire. The family had not even applied for the reunion – they assumed their brother was dead.

A guide book distributed to the elderly South Koreans chosen by lottery to meet family members includes a long list of do’s and don’ts – mostly don’ts.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) extensively reported the first day of reunions on Tuesday.

Among the generation that actually experienced the division of their families, the vast majority died without ever having any contact with their relatives in the North.

Additionally, he said, North Korean business executives are significantly more aware of the progress in South Korea than the average citizen.

The group of South Korean families were reunited with their 141 North Korean relatives six times during their three-day stay at the mountain resort on the North’s east coast, about a half-hour drive from the South’s east coastal city of Sokcho. After a 15-year gap, several more followed from 2000 to 2010.