S. Korean families gather in Sokcho on Sunday to prepare for family reunions
- 6 years ago
Starting Monday, South and North Korea will be holding reunions for families separated by the Korean War.
This is the first time they've held reunions in nearly three years, and they'll take place for a full week at North Korea's Mount Kumgang.
The South Koreans who'll be attending have gathered in the northeastern city of Sokcho before they cross the border.
Our unification ministry correspondent, Oh Jung-hee, is on the ground in Sokcho.
Jung-hee, how's the atmosphere there?
Jiyeon, all the South Korean participants due to meet their relatives in North Korea have gathered here at Hanwha Resorts in the city of Sokcho.
They registered themselves as participants and were told about the do's and don'ts while they're in the North.
I'll be their first face-to-face with their relatives in the North after nearly 70 years of separation and no contact,... so we asked some of the families how they're feeling ahead of the reunions.
Some were very excited, even shouting for joy to have found their long-lost loved ones,... but most of them were generally very calm -- having lived with this situation for so many decades already.
Bear in mind, because nearly 7 decades have passed since the Korean War, many of the reunions are not between immediate family members, but between the closest relatives.
Participants who're lucky enough to meet members of their immediate family -- like sons, daughters or siblings -- their feelings seem to be very complex.
Those who aren't... mostly said they want to share memories with their North Korean relatives... about the family members they do share.
Take a listen to what a couple of participants told us.
"I just found out that my son's alive. I'm wondering how and by whom he was raised -- he's 71 now. I'm going to ask him, 'how did you live? Who raised you?'"
"I want to ask them where our parents' graves are. And I want to know more about their families, too."
This evening, medical staff will be checking on their health once again, since all the participants are of an advanced age.
They'll spend the night here and cross the military demarcation line tomorrow morning through the eastern inter-Korean transit office located in the nearby city of Goseong.
We will be following the families throughout the rest of the day and bring you more about it in our newscasts on Monday. Jiyeon.
This is the first time they've held reunions in nearly three years, and they'll take place for a full week at North Korea's Mount Kumgang.
The South Koreans who'll be attending have gathered in the northeastern city of Sokcho before they cross the border.
Our unification ministry correspondent, Oh Jung-hee, is on the ground in Sokcho.
Jung-hee, how's the atmosphere there?
Jiyeon, all the South Korean participants due to meet their relatives in North Korea have gathered here at Hanwha Resorts in the city of Sokcho.
They registered themselves as participants and were told about the do's and don'ts while they're in the North.
I'll be their first face-to-face with their relatives in the North after nearly 70 years of separation and no contact,... so we asked some of the families how they're feeling ahead of the reunions.
Some were very excited, even shouting for joy to have found their long-lost loved ones,... but most of them were generally very calm -- having lived with this situation for so many decades already.
Bear in mind, because nearly 7 decades have passed since the Korean War, many of the reunions are not between immediate family members, but between the closest relatives.
Participants who're lucky enough to meet members of their immediate family -- like sons, daughters or siblings -- their feelings seem to be very complex.
Those who aren't... mostly said they want to share memories with their North Korean relatives... about the family members they do share.
Take a listen to what a couple of participants told us.
"I just found out that my son's alive. I'm wondering how and by whom he was raised -- he's 71 now. I'm going to ask him, 'how did you live? Who raised you?'"
"I want to ask them where our parents' graves are. And I want to know more about their families, too."
This evening, medical staff will be checking on their health once again, since all the participants are of an advanced age.
They'll spend the night here and cross the military demarcation line tomorrow morning through the eastern inter-Korean transit office located in the nearby city of Goseong.
We will be following the families throughout the rest of the day and bring you more about it in our newscasts on Monday. Jiyeon.