War-torn families of two Koreas meeting for last time
- 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?
Ji-yoon, I'm standing by at the eastern Inter-Korean Transit Office and this will be where the South Korean families will be coming back from north of the border... in the late afternoon.
As you've mentioned, today's the last day of the three-day-long family reunions... and right now as we speak, South and North Korean families are in their last group session.
Starting from 10AM this morning, they are meeting for three hours -- one hour more than originally planned.
While the atmosphere at yesterday's group reunion was pretty bright,... the atmosphere at today's session seems to be depressing... as families think of parting again... after spending such a short time together.
Since the first meeting on Monday, war-torn families from South and North Korea spent 12 hours in total together.
A South Korean father would drink alcohol with his North Korean son for the first and last time in their lives,... unable to say anything.
Some South and North Korean participants just shed tears and sighed,... thinking of having to separate so soon.
This morning, the participants had told the pool reporters there that they feel quite melancholy and sentimental as their reunions draws near to an end.
Recalling their get-togethers over the past couple of days,... they said... 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.
They added... they would just like to tell their relatives... 'take care.'
Ji-yoon, the last three days have gone 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 having lunch together for an hour from now, the South Korean families will be getting on buses bound for South Korea... and the South and North Korean participants will be saying a heartbreaking final goodbye to each other.
Ji-yoon.
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?
Ji-yoon, I'm standing by at the eastern Inter-Korean Transit Office and this will be where the South Korean families will be coming back from north of the border... in the late afternoon.
As you've mentioned, today's the last day of the three-day-long family reunions... and right now as we speak, South and North Korean families are in their last group session.
Starting from 10AM this morning, they are meeting for three hours -- one hour more than originally planned.
While the atmosphere at yesterday's group reunion was pretty bright,... the atmosphere at today's session seems to be depressing... as families think of parting again... after spending such a short time together.
Since the first meeting on Monday, war-torn families from South and North Korea spent 12 hours in total together.
A South Korean father would drink alcohol with his North Korean son for the first and last time in their lives,... unable to say anything.
Some South and North Korean participants just shed tears and sighed,... thinking of having to separate so soon.
This morning, the participants had told the pool reporters there that they feel quite melancholy and sentimental as their reunions draws near to an end.
Recalling their get-togethers over the past couple of days,... they said... 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.
They added... they would just like to tell their relatives... 'take care.'
Ji-yoon, the last three days have gone 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 having lunch together for an hour from now, the South Korean families will be getting on buses bound for South Korea... and the South and North Korean participants will be saying a heartbreaking final goodbye to each other.
Ji-yoon.