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Sun, May 28, 2023 | 16:08
-------------------------
Hundreds of Korean families reunite in North Korea
43년 전 '오대양호' 납북 어부, 남측 가족 만나
Posted : 2015-10-24 11:05
Updated : 2015-10-24 20:53
Kim Ji-soo
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Jeong Geon-mok, 64, one of the 25 men kidnapped by North Korea in the 1972 abduction of the South Korean trawler, Odaeyang, wipes the tears from his mother's face, Lee Bok-soon, 88, at Mount Geumgang, North Korea, Saturday. / Yonhap
Jeong Geon-mok, 64, one of the 25 men kidnapped by North Korea in the 1972 abduction of the South Korean trawler, Odaeyang, wipes the tears from his mother's face, Lee Bok-soon, 88, at Mount Geumgang, North Korea, Saturday. / Yonhap

A group of 90 families consisting of around 250 South Koreans reunited with their separated North Korean family members on Saturday at the scenic resort of Mount Geumgang in North Korea.


The reunion began with a group meeting at 3:15 p.m. As soon as the meeting started, family members wept, then smiled, then wept again, according to Joint Press Corps reports.

This is the second three-day reunion in this round and will last through Monday. The first three-day reunion ended Thursday.

The families in the second group, in their 80s and 90s, are visibly older than those in the first. They have not seen their lost kin in more than 60 years. The oldest participant from South Korea is 98-years-old, and from North Korea, 88.

Koo Sang-yeon, 98, from South Korea who bought new shoes for his two daughters, wept after reuniting with them.


Jeong Geon-mok, 64, one of the 25 men kidnapped by North Korea in the 1972 abduction of the South Korean trawler, Odaeyang, wipes the tears from his mother's face, Lee Bok-soon, 88, at Mount Geumgang, North Korea, Saturday. / Yonhap
Koo Sang-yeon, 98, of South Korea reunites with his two daughters, Song-ok, 71, and Seon-ok, 68, at Mount Geumgang, North Korea, Saturday. / Yonhap

From the North, Jeong Geon-mok, 64, who was taken to the North in the 1972 kidnapping of the South Korean trawler, Odaeyang, reunited with his mother, Lee Bok-soon, 88.


The reunions that began this week are the first since February 2014. Amid heightened tensions, South and North Korean officials agreed on the reunions amid the dramatic agreement reached on Aug. 25 to defuse military tension and bolster bilateral dialogue.

In the wake of the inter-Korean summit of 2000, the two Koreas have held 19 rounds of reunions that over the years have brought some 18,800 separated family members face-to-face, if only for a few days. About half of the estimated 129,700 South Koreans who are on the waiting list for the reunions, though, have passed away. As the two Koreas remain technically at war, tension often prevails over the Korean Peninsula.

Speaking at the National Assembly the previous day, Lee Byung-kee, presidential chief of staff, said that the government would do its best to make the reunions of the separated families regular and more frequent events. As for inter-Korean relations at large, Lee added that the government would vigorously pursue dialogue with the North Koreans, yet at the same time stand firm against their provocations.


Jeong Geon-mok, 64, one of the 25 men kidnapped by North Korea in the 1972 abduction of the South Korean trawler, Odaeyang, wipes the tears from his mother's face, Lee Bok-soon, 88, at Mount Geumgang, North Korea, Saturday. / Yonhap
Lee Seok-ju, 98, of South Korea cries after meeting his son who lives in North Korea, Saturday. / Yonhap




43년 전 '오대양호' 납북 어부, 남측 가족 만나

 '고생하셨지, 아들 살아있어… 울지 마세요….'

    2차 남측 이산가족 방문단이 24일 오후 3시15분(북측 시간 2시45분) 금강산에서 꿈에 그리던 북측 가족들과 드디어 만났다.

    남측 방문단 90가족 254명과 북측 188명은 이날 금강산호텔에서 '단체상봉'으로 2박3일간의 상봉 일정을 시작했다.

    이산가족들은 이날 오전 속초 한화리조트에서 버스를 타고 금강산으로 출발하면서부터 '빨리 보고 싶다', '너무 좋다, 이제 죽어도 좋다'며 코앞으로 다가온 상봉에 설렘을 잔뜩 드러냈다.

    이어 북측 가족들이 기다리는 금강산호텔에 도착한 남측 방문단은 떨리는 마음을 진정시키며 상봉장으로 들어갔다.

    곧이어 상봉장은 '울음바다'가 됐다.

    '내가 이러려고 살아있었어…' 가족들은 서로를 얼싸 안고 '울다 웃다'를 반복했다.

    이번 북측 상봉단에는 1972년 '오대양호 사건' 때 납북된 어부 정건목(64)씨가 포함돼 어머니 이복순(88) 할머니를 만나기도 했다.

    정씨의 여동생은 '오빠, 살아있어 줘서 고맙다'며 연신 눈물을 훔쳤다.    

상봉단은 이번 단체상봉에 이어 이날 저녁 환영만찬에서 가족들과 함께 식사를 하며 가슴에 담아둔 이야기들을 풀어놓는다.

    25일에는 개별상봉과 공동중식, 단체상봉을 하고, 26일에는 짧은 만남을 마무리 짓는 작별상봉을 한다.

    가족들은 2박3일간 모두 6차례에 걸친 12시간의 상봉을 마친 뒤 헤어지게 된다. (연합뉴스)
Emailjanee@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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