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| Koo Song-ock, 71, from North Korea, kisses her South Korean father, Koo Sang-yeon, 98, while another daughter from North Korea, Koo Sun-ock, 68, looks on as they say farewell Monday, the last day of their three-day reunions at the Mount Geumgang Resort in the North. More than 900 elderly people from 186 families were reunited from Tuesday for the first time since the 1950-53 Korean War separated them. / Yonhap |
Family reunions end without major hiccups
By Yi Whan-woo
North Korea is apparently taking more reconciliatory steps toward South Korea, while refraining from activities that could raise tensions, analysts said Monday.
South Korean families returned home after they reunited with their loved ones living across the border since the 1950-53 Korean War at North Korea's Mount Geumgang Resort for three days.
Their return completed the reunions of over 900 elderly people from 186 war-torn families from Oct. 20.
Previously, there were concerns that Pyongyang could engage in military provocations prior to such meetings and call them off, but it did not. On Saturday, the South Korean Navy fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat that violated the western maritime border, but the regime did not link the incident to the family reunions.
The military regime also did not conduct a highly-anticipated long-range rocket launch on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of its Workers' Party on Oct. 10. In addition, it has not been pursuing its fourth nuclear test. The previous tests were conducted in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
Analysts say Pyongyang is likely to be cooperative with Seoul in holding high-level talks in line with their agreement on Aug. 25.
Such talks are seen as a crucial step for the two Koreas to implement a bilateral accord in addition to the week-long reunions of war-divided families.
During the reunions on Saturday, North Korea's Red Cross Chairman Ri Chung-bok said he is ready to discuss regularizing the emotional gatherings with Kim Sung-joo, who heads Seoul's Korean Red Cross. Ri added he and Kim could share their thoughts over exchanging letters among the dwindling number of war-divided families, who are mostly in their 70s or older.
The Red Crosses of the two countries have jointly organized this year's reunions, which marks the 20th time since June 2000. The last gatherings were in February 2014.
"I expect the inter-Korean reconciliatory mood will last for the time being, possibly until December," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
"I deliberately picked December because there are so many factors that could disrupt inter-Korean relations."
Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, voiced a similar view.
"The two Koreas may be able to hold high-level talks soon and further develop their ties if they are respectful to each other and watch their language and behavior," he said.
Yang speculated that the preparations for the Seoul-Pyongyang high-level talks would accelerate if the South was willing to comply with the North and resume its suspended tour program to Mount Geumgang.
The cash-strapped Pyongyang regime has been asking Seoul to resume the program, which has been suspended since 2008 after a South Korean tourist was shot to death by North Korean guards on a beach near the mountainous resort.
Paik agreed with Yang, saying "there should be give and take between the two sides."
Paik said Seoul also should consider scrapping its economic sanctions against Pyongyang since May 24, 2010 under the so-called May 24 measures. Seoul imposed the punitive sanctions in retaliation of the North's sinking of South Korean naval frigate Cheonan in March 2010. It bans all trading activities between the two sides except for Gaeseong Industrial Complex.
"It's the South that is more eager to regularize inter-Korean family reunions. And it should be willing to meet Pyongyang's demand on economic support in return if it wants to boost high-level talks."
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