Korean family reunited after over three years of separation

Retracted — August 19, 2013

This article was published in error and retracted.

Monday, August 19, 2013

An agreement has been reached between the North Korean and South Korean governments to reunite families separated by war over 60 years ago.

In an official report by the Pyongyang media, the reunions are set to take place at a North Korean tourist resort on the 19th September. This agreement came after joint plans between the two states were announced to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which saw North Korea withdraw it’s 50,000 workers in April in protest against the increase in United Nations sanctions.

In a statement following the deal, South Korean President Park Geun-hye was hopeful that this agreement could spark a more amicable alliance between the two warring states.

“I hope this agreement will help correct wrong practices of the past inter-Korean relations and pave the way for new relations of co-existence,” stated President Park.

Families who were divided by the Korean War between 1950-53 have only been granted opportunities for reunion since 2000, with the last meeting being scheduled in 2010. Due to the lack of direct mail and telephone lines connecting the North and South, over 80,000 South Koreans registered to take part in the previous reunion however not all were accepted into program.

The North and the South of Korea are still technically at war.

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Sources

"North Korea agrees to family reunions with South" — BBC News, 18/08/13
"North and South Korea to hold first reunion for divided families in three years" — Euronews, 18/08/13

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