On July 4th, 1972 South and North Korea simultaneously announced the landmark Joint Communique, which heightened hope for unification. But nothing really came out of the agreement until 1984, when North Korea made a proposal to send assistance to South Koreans displaced by a devastating flood. Although South Korea was capable of recovering from the flood on its own, the South Korean government accepted North Korea's offer, which helped push inter-Korean relations forward by a great deal. After many ups and down, the two sides agreed to allow homecoming visits to people from both sides and exchange musicians and dancers. That was how the first reunion of separated families took place in Seoul and Pyongyang simultaneously. But even before the joy of reunions dissipated, North Korea’s attitude change caused all sorts of communication between the two sides to cease for 15 years until the reunions resumed in 2000, bringing together over 22,500 people to see their long-lost family members over the next decade or so.