Asia-Pacific

S.Korea, DPRK reach agreement on family reunion

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-01 18:17

SEOUL - South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed Friday to hold the reunions of families separated by the Korean War from October 30 to November 5 at two venues within the Mount Kumgang tourism resort, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported Friday, citing a South Korean official.

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Red Cross officials from the two sides on Friday held the third round of talks in the border city of Kaesong to discuss the specific venue and schedule for the family reunion events.

The previous two rounds of talks in September ended without progress as the DPRK demanded South Korea resume tours to its mountain resort, suspended after a shooting death there in 2008 of a South Korean tourist, before it allows Seoul to use facilities there.

South Korea regarded the two issues separately. Family reunions were last held in September 2009, the 16th such meetings. More than 80,000 South Koreans are presumed to be waiting for a rare chance for rendezvous with their families from the north of the border.