Families divided by Korean War to reunite

SEOUL, South Korea – North and South Korea agreed today to hold reunions next month of families separated by the Korean War in the early 1950s, a small but important bit of progress for rivals that just last month were threatening each other with war.

One hundred mostly elderly family members from each country will meet Oct. 20-26 at the Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, South Korean officials announced.

The decision came after talks among the Koreas’ Red Cross officials at the border village of Panmunjom. The Koreas initially agreed to push for the reunions after striking a deal last month that eased a standoff that had flared after a mine explosion blamed on Pyongyang maimed two South Korean soldiers.

The highly emotional reunions have not happened since early last year. But even today’s announcement doesn’t guarantee success. The rivals have a long history of failing to follow through on reconciliation efforts.

Planned reunions in 2013 were scrapped at the last minute because of North Korean anger in part over its claims the South was trying to overthrow Pyongyang’s government.

Most applicants are in their 70s or older and desperate to see their loved ones before they die. Many Koreans don’t even know whether relatives on the other side of the border are still alive because their governments mostly ban the exchange of letters, phone calls or emails.

The two Koreas remain divided along the world’s most heavily fortified border since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.