Separated families say goodbye after brief and bittersweet reunion
- 6 years ago
Today was the last day of the second round of inter-Korean family reunions, meaning families who have been apart for almost 7 decades had to say goodbye once again.
Let's go to our Park Hee-jun, who's been covering the story from the very start.
Hee-jun, how did the families spend their last day at Mount Kumgang?
Devin.
The three-day inter-Korean family reunion is officially over.
The South Korean participants arrived here at Hanwha Resort in Sokcho less than an hour ago.
Today, they had a farewell reunion before heading back home.
For three hours, the families shed tears and exchanged heartbreaking goodbyes.
They also exchanged letters and small gifts that will help remind them of each other.
Although they told each other not to cry, and said they'd meet again,... they know it's more than likely they never will.
The South Korean participants left Mount Kumgang at around 1:30 PM,... and arrived at the Hanwha resort at 5:10.
That marks the end to the week-long 21st inter-Korean family reunion.
89 selected South Koreans and their families in the North were reunited for the first round,... and 81 selected North Koreans and their families in the South were reunited for the second round.
After the reunions,... the Red Cross will make sure the participants have returned home safely,... and conduct follow-up check ups to see if they show signs of depression or other after-effects.
The reunions were held thanks to a thaw in relations between the two Koreas.
The many other people who still haven't been able to meet their relatives across the border... must be desperately hoping that inter-Korean relations stay where they are or even get better.
You're right.
These family reunions take place only when inter-Korean relations are good.
This week's reunions were the first in three years.
And it was only possible because of the conciliatory mood on the Korean Peninsula,... and after it was agreed at the April 27 inter-Korean summit by President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
But so many separated families are still eagerly waiting for the chance to meet.
There have only been 20 rounds of reunions in the past,... while tens of thousands have been waiting to reunite with their relatives for some 70 years.
It will be brought up at the next inter-Korean summit next month... as a humanitarian project.
But there also needs to be a way to hold these reunions more regularly, setting aside political considerations.
Hopefully the two Koreas will continue to work together on this issue... for the separated families whose time is running out.
Devin.
Let's go to our Park Hee-jun, who's been covering the story from the very start.
Hee-jun, how did the families spend their last day at Mount Kumgang?
Devin.
The three-day inter-Korean family reunion is officially over.
The South Korean participants arrived here at Hanwha Resort in Sokcho less than an hour ago.
Today, they had a farewell reunion before heading back home.
For three hours, the families shed tears and exchanged heartbreaking goodbyes.
They also exchanged letters and small gifts that will help remind them of each other.
Although they told each other not to cry, and said they'd meet again,... they know it's more than likely they never will.
The South Korean participants left Mount Kumgang at around 1:30 PM,... and arrived at the Hanwha resort at 5:10.
That marks the end to the week-long 21st inter-Korean family reunion.
89 selected South Koreans and their families in the North were reunited for the first round,... and 81 selected North Koreans and their families in the South were reunited for the second round.
After the reunions,... the Red Cross will make sure the participants have returned home safely,... and conduct follow-up check ups to see if they show signs of depression or other after-effects.
The reunions were held thanks to a thaw in relations between the two Koreas.
The many other people who still haven't been able to meet their relatives across the border... must be desperately hoping that inter-Korean relations stay where they are or even get better.
You're right.
These family reunions take place only when inter-Korean relations are good.
This week's reunions were the first in three years.
And it was only possible because of the conciliatory mood on the Korean Peninsula,... and after it was agreed at the April 27 inter-Korean summit by President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
But so many separated families are still eagerly waiting for the chance to meet.
There have only been 20 rounds of reunions in the past,... while tens of thousands have been waiting to reunite with their relatives for some 70 years.
It will be brought up at the next inter-Korean summit next month... as a humanitarian project.
But there also needs to be a way to hold these reunions more regularly, setting aside political considerations.
Hopefully the two Koreas will continue to work together on this issue... for the separated families whose time is running out.
Devin.