Koreas to hold Oct. 20-26 reunions of war-divided families

By: 9 years ago

In this Feb. 25, 2014 file photo, South Koreans hold their North Korean relative’s hands on a bus after the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at Diamond Mountain in North Korea. North and South Korea started talks at a border village Monday, Sept. 7, 2015, on resuming the reunions of families separated by the Korean War in the early 1950s, Seoul officials said. The highly emotional reunions have not happened since early last year. Most applicants are in their 70s or older and desperate to see their loved ones before they die. AP

SEOUL, South Korea—North and South Korea have agreed to hold Oct. 20 to 26 reunions of families separated by the Korean War in the early 1950s.

Seoul officials said Tuesday that 100 mostly elderly family members from each country will meet at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea.

The decision came after talks among the rivals’ Red Cross officials at the border village of Panmunjom. The Koreas agreed to push for the reunions after striking a deal last month that eased animosity that saw them threatening war. The standoff flared after a mine explosion blamed on Pyongyang maimed two South Korean soldiers.

The highly emotional reunions have not happened since early last year. Most applicants are in their 70s or older and desperate to see their loved ones before they die.