Family reunions: war-torn families to part ways on Wednesday
- 6 years ago
It's the third and final day of the first round of reunions for Korean families who've been torn apart due to more than six decades of war and division on the Korean peninsula.
They first met on Monday and the time to say goodbye -- once again and almost certainly forever -- is looming.
Let's go live to our Oh Jung-hee, who's covering the story for us.
Jung-hee, it's a sad day for all the families as they have to go through a second mentally tough separation,.... but what do we expect to see today?
Mark, as you've mentioned, today's the last day of the three-day-long family reunions... and we are hearing from South Korea's joint press pool there at North Korea's Mount Kumgang... that the families are feeling sad about having to part again, after such a short time together.
This morning, the South Korean families ate breakfast by themselves,... took a short morning walk... and packed their bags ahead of their departure in the afternoon.
By now, starting from 10AM, South and North Korean participants will be meeting each other for three hours, in what will be their last session together.
The original plan was that the families would have two hours only, but upon South Korea's request,... it was decided yesterday that they'll be given three hours for today's session.
That raises the number of total meeting hours from 11 to 12.
The participants told the pool reporters this morning that they feel quite melancholy and sentimental as their reunions got to the final day.
Recalling their get-togethers over the past couple of days,... they added... they just could know that the North Korean participants were indeed their relatives... and could recognize the faces they saw when young... despite all the wrinkles.
The current session will most likely be their one last get-together in their lives,... and the families said... they would just like to tell their relatives... 'take care.'
Mark, we're already into the final session of the three-day-long family reunions.
The time went by so quickly... and to the people meeting their loved ones up there at Mount Kumgang -- they must feel that even more than we do.
After the morning session today,... the South and North Korean participants will be saying a heartbreaking final goodbye to each other,... as the South Koreans head back home in the early afternoon.
Mark.
They first met on Monday and the time to say goodbye -- once again and almost certainly forever -- is looming.
Let's go live to our Oh Jung-hee, who's covering the story for us.
Jung-hee, it's a sad day for all the families as they have to go through a second mentally tough separation,.... but what do we expect to see today?
Mark, as you've mentioned, today's the last day of the three-day-long family reunions... and we are hearing from South Korea's joint press pool there at North Korea's Mount Kumgang... that the families are feeling sad about having to part again, after such a short time together.
This morning, the South Korean families ate breakfast by themselves,... took a short morning walk... and packed their bags ahead of their departure in the afternoon.
By now, starting from 10AM, South and North Korean participants will be meeting each other for three hours, in what will be their last session together.
The original plan was that the families would have two hours only, but upon South Korea's request,... it was decided yesterday that they'll be given three hours for today's session.
That raises the number of total meeting hours from 11 to 12.
The participants told the pool reporters this morning that they feel quite melancholy and sentimental as their reunions got to the final day.
Recalling their get-togethers over the past couple of days,... they added... they just could know that the North Korean participants were indeed their relatives... and could recognize the faces they saw when young... despite all the wrinkles.
The current session will most likely be their one last get-together in their lives,... and the families said... they would just like to tell their relatives... 'take care.'
Mark, we're already into the final session of the three-day-long family reunions.
The time went by so quickly... and to the people meeting their loved ones up there at Mount Kumgang -- they must feel that even more than we do.
After the morning session today,... the South and North Korean participants will be saying a heartbreaking final goodbye to each other,... as the South Koreans head back home in the early afternoon.
Mark.