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DPRK reports on north-south family reunions

(Xinhua/Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-29 00:51

PYONGYANG: The official KCNA news agency reported on Monday the reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War which began on Saturday at the Mt. Kumgang Resort of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

South Koreans on a bus bid farewell to their family members of the DPRK after a three-day temporary family reunion at Mount Kumgang resort in DPRK September 28, 2009. [Agencies]

The report said the separated families held "group reunions" on Saturday and the Central Committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society gave a reception for the separated families and relatives from the north and the south on the same day.

The separated families reunited separately on Sunday and "exchanged their pent-up inmost thoughts," the report added.

Related readings:  Two Koreas finalize deal on family reunions, fishermen  2 Koreas agree on reunions of separated families  Koreas hold first reunions via video  Korean family reunions halted

The reunions are the first between the DPRK and South Korea in nearly two years. The reunions started in 2000 following a landmark inter-Korean summit that year.

Since then, the two sides have held 16 rounds of face-to-face reunions and seven rounds of video exchanges.

The last reunions were held in October 2007. The program was suspended as ties between Pyongyang and Seoul soured after South Korea's conservative government under President Lee Myung-bak came to power in February 2008.

About 600,000 South Koreans are believed to have relatives in the DPRK. Ordinary citizens were not allowed to make phone calls, send letters or exchange e-mails across the border.

People of the DPRK bid farewell to their South Korean family members on a bus after their three-day temporary reunion at Mount Kumgang resort in DPRK September 28, 2009. [Agencies]

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