MOSCOW, October 6 (RIA Novosti) – In the upcoming talks between North and South Korea, South Korea plans to discuss the reunion of families separated by the Korean War, The South Korea’s Unification Ministry said on Monday, as reported by Reuters.
“We’ve said the issue of separated families is the most urgent and important one, so I think it’s necessary for us to raise that issue”, said Lim Byeong-cheol, Unification Ministry spokesman.
The first family reunion happened in 1985, and since then there have been 19 family reunions. The last family reunion took place in February. South Korea hopes to make the family reunions regular events, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
After North Korea sent its largest delegation ever to the South, the two Koreas agreed to resume reconciliation talks on Saturday, informed Reuters. This raises hopes for an improvement of relationship between the two countries.
The past weekend's meeting between the two sides was a “small, but meaningful step”, according to a senior official from the South Korea’s Unification Ministry.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye maintains a policy of open-door engagement with North Korea.
“We should take efforts to ensure that the high-level contact will lay the groundwork for peaceful reunification by holding regular, not just one-time, discussions”, Park Geun-hye said, as quoted by the WSJ.
