The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Tue, August 9, 2022 | 13:50
Koreas agree to hold family reunions from Feb. 20 to 25
남북, '2월20∼25일 이산가족 금강산 상봉' 합의
Posted : 2014-02-05 14:43
Updated : 2014-02-05 14:43
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
South and North Korea agreed to hold the reunion of the families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War at the Mount Geumgang, a scenic resort in the North, Feb. 20-25.

Delegates from both sides came with the agreement during a working-level negotiation of Red Cross at the border village of Panmunjeom, the Ministry of Unification announced Wednesday.

Earlier, the South proposed the reunion take place Feb. 17-22 with the North having kept mum on the proposal.

Three South Korean officials began talks with their North Korean counterparts around 10 a.m. at the border village of Panmunjom and are set to continue before breaking for lunch. They plan to hold another round of talks in the afternoon before returning home later in the day.

They are expected to try to set the dates for the reunions and pick lodging facilities for elderly separated family members.

Last week, South Korea proposed staging the reunions at Mount Kumgang, a scenic resort on North Korea's east coast, from Feb. 17 for six days.

Still, it was not immediately clear whether Pyongyang will accept Seoul's offer.

"It is difficult to predict the results of the talks," Unification Ministry spokeswoman Park Soo-jin said.

Seoul made the proposal after Pyongyang asked South Korea to select the dates for family reunions as part of its recent charm offensive toward South Korea.

The South Korean chief delegate, Lee Duck-hang, told reporters before leaving for Panmunjom that he will try his "best to bring good news to separated families."

The dates proposed by South Korea are before the start date of Seoul's annual joint military exercises with Washington, which are set to run from late February through April.

North Korea has repeatedly pressed South Korea to scrap the drills, condemning them as a rehearsal for a nuclear war against it. Seoul and Washington have vowed to go ahead with the exercises, calling them defensive in nature.

South Korea has called the family reunions a first step toward improving inter-Korean relations.

The reunions, if held, would be the first since October 2010.

Family reunions are a highly emotional issue on the divided Korean Peninsula, as most of the separated family members are in their 70s and 80s, and wish to see their long-lost relatives before they die.

There are no direct means of contact between ordinary civilians of the two countries that remain divided by a heavily fortified border.

The divided Koreas have held more than a dozen rounds of reunions since their landmark summit in 2000, bringing together more than 21,700 family members who had not seen each other since the Korean War.(Yonhap)


,




남북, '2월20∼25일 이산가족 금강산 상봉' 합의

남북이 오는 20∼25일 금강산에서 이산가족 상봉 행사를 개최하기로 합의했다.

남북은 5일 판문점에서 이산가족 상봉 행사 준비를 위한 적십자 실무접촉을 갖고 이같이 합의했다고 통일부가 전했다.

이번 합의 날짜는 우리측이 애초 제의한 이달 17∼22일보다는 3일 늦어진 것이다.
 
LG
  • [ANALYSIS] Why Beijing won't retaliate against Seoul for 'Chip 4'
  • Surging costs of living push people to take side jobs
  • Retailers wage war with fried chicken amid soaring inflation
  • Gov't to increase quota for migrant workers
  • Education minister resigns after just over a month in office
  • Ruling party's self-inflicted crisis
  • Foreign ministers of South Korea and China to meet to address thorny issues
  • Ethereum founder expects crypto payments to become prevalent soon
  • Family succession at major conglomerates put on hold due to lackluster IPO market
  • Yoon vows to go back to basics amid low approval ratings
  • Interactive News
  • With tough love,
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • A tale of natural wine
    • OTT platforms struggle amid declining number of users OTT platforms struggle amid declining number of users
    • 'Baby Shark' feature film to premiere on Paramount+ next year 'Baby Shark' feature film to premiere on Paramount+ next year
    • Netflix's 'Narco-Saints' to be released Sept. 9 Netflix's 'Narco-Saints' to be released Sept. 9
    • [INTERVIEW] Leandro Erlich's questioning of our perception of reality carries new meaning in pandemic [INTERVIEW] Leandro Erlich's questioning of our perception of reality carries new meaning in pandemic
    • [INTERVIEW] Im Si-wan found own narrative for villain role in 'Emergency Declaration' [INTERVIEW] Im Si-wan found own narrative for villain role in 'Emergency Declaration'
    DARKROOM
    • Ice is melting, land is burning

      Ice is melting, land is burning

    • Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

      Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

    • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

      Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

      Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

      Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    The Korea Times
    CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
    Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
    Tel : 02-724-2114
    Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
    Date of registration : 2020.02.05
    Masthead : The Korea Times
    Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
    • About Us
    • Introduction
    • History
    • Location
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
    • Products & Service
    • Subscribe
    • E-paper
    • Mobile Service
    • RSS Service
    • Content Sales
    • Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
    • 고충처리인
    • Youth Protection Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Copyright Policy
    • Family Site
    • Hankook Ilbo
    • Dongwha Group