Talks held to arrange reunion details

Korean Red Cross officials, right, shake hands with representatives from North Korea’s Red Cross Society during their talks at the truce village of Panmunjeom, Monday. / Courtesy of Ministry of Unification

By Jun Ji-hye

South and North Korea held working-level talks Monday to arrange reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The talks followed the recent landmark agreement to resume the reunions to ease military tension.

Three Korean Red Cross officials met their counterparts from the North Korea Red Cross Society at the truce village of Panmunjeom to work out details, such as timing, whereabouts and scale.

“We will do the best we can to meet the expectations of the families,” South Korean chief delegate Lee Deok-haeng told reporters before the meeting.

The two Koreas agreed on Aug. 25 to resume the reunions around the Chuseok holidays late this month. The agreement came after four days of talks held while tension was high on the Korean Peninsula after the North’s landmine attack on Aug. 4.

The government wants to hold the reunions as soon as possible, considering problems that could arise around the foundation day of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party on Oct. 10.

Officials said Pyongyang could possibly test a long-range missile, which would again strain inter-Korean relations.

Observers said the reunions would most likely take place at Mount Geumgang, a scenic resort on the North’s east coast, where the last reunion in February last year was held. They said the two Koreas might not have much time to prepare another venue.

In addition to discussing the upcoming reunions, Seoul officials also suggested holding the family reunions regularly and allowing members of separated families to exchange letters.

More than 66,000 South Koreans are separated from relatives in the North because the two Koreas have never signed a peace treaty.

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