Separated families from South and North Korea were reunited with their long-lost kin during another round of inter-Korean family reunions, which came nearly two years after the program was suspended in October of 2007. Two rounds of reunions were held at the family reunion center in the Mt. Geumgang resort from September 26 to October 1, just ahead of the Chuseok holiday. In the first round, 97 South Koreans met with 240 North Korean relatives, while 99 North Korean family members were reunited with 400 people from the South in the second round. The reunions seemed like a dream for the family members who have been separated from their loved ones for sixty years, not even knowing whether they are dead or alive. During the latest round of reunions, a South Korean prisoner of war and some fishermen who were allegedly forced to stay in North Korea were able to hold dramatic reunions with their family members from the South. Here’s Yonhap News Agency reporter Jang Yong-hun to share some of the heartbreaking stories of these separated families.

South Korean prisoner of war Lee Kwae-seok was drafted into the army as soon as the Korean War broke out in 1950 and was later found missing. He was able to meet his South Korean brother during the recent reunions. Also, Roh Seong-ho, a crewman of fishing boat “Dongjin 27,” met with his sister, Soon-ho during the latest reunions. The ship was abducted to North Korea in January of 1987. Another crew member, Jin Yong-ho, also met with his sister, Gok-soon. When the fishing boat was detained by the North in 1987, North Korea initially intended to return it to the South. At the time, North Korean Kim Man-cheol defected to the South with his family. North Korea demanded the South repatriate the Kim family to the North before releasing the South Korean fishermen. As a result, the fishermen had to stay in the North against their will. Fortunately, some of the fishermen were included in the North’s recent reunion delegation. They met with their South Korean relatives to comfort the pain of a long separation.

The recent reunions were meaningful for individual separated family members, of course, but diplomatic experts add another positive meaning to the opening of the family reunion center at Mt. Geumgang. Actually, the center was completed 14 months ago, but it remained dormant until recently. South and North Korea had agreed to build a reunion center during the fifth inter-Korean Red Cross talks in November of 2003. Construction cost 51.2 billion won, and the facility was completed in July of last year. It finally performed its intended role during the latest reunions, the first of their kind under the current Seoul government.

In a welcome move, South and North Korea resumed the family reunions after a long impasse. The latest development is particularly significant, given the urgent need to resolve the humanitarian issue, with a large number of aged separated family members passing away recently. During the latest event, group reunions were held at the reunion center at Mt. Geumgang for the first time. It cost a considerable amount of money to build the family reunion center equipped with a variety of excellent facilities. But, unfortunately, the new facilities had been left idle. It’s welcome news, although belated, that the new center was put to good use.

Representatives from Red Cross societies of South and North Korea also got together for the first time as leaders of the reunion delegations to exchange opinions about inter-Korean relations and some Red Cross issues. In a press conference last Sunday, South Korea’s Red Cross chief Yoo Jong-ha said that his North Korean counterpart Jang Jae-on had asked a “special favor” in return for the resumed reunions. Regarding the comment, some speculate that North Korea agreed on the family reunions in order to receive aid from Seoul. Reporter Jang says North Korea seems to have indirectly asked the South to resume its rice and fertilizer aid.

It’s hard to say North Korea has the explicit purpose of eliciting aid from South Korea. The family reunions were the result of the agreement reached between Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il when Hyun visited the North in August. And Pyongyang made good on its promise. The two previous liberal governments in South Korea used to tacitly link the family reunion events with fertilizer aid for North Korea. Apparently having the precedent in mind, the North Korean Red Cross head mentioned Seoul’s “special favor.” That is, the North hopes South Korea will resume its rice and fertilizer aid, which has been suspended since the inauguration of the Lee Myung-bak government. But the South Korean Red Cross chief reportedly explained to his North Korean counterpart that the South Korean National Red Cross will do whatever it can, but rice and fertilizer aid should be decided by the government because it involves taxpayers’ money.

The South Korean government remains firm on the issue of aid to North Korea. Presidential spokesman Park Sun-kyoo said on Monday that the government is not currently considering any massive food or fertilizer aid to North Korea. Vice Unification Minister Hong Yang-ho echoed the view, saying that Seoul’s basic policy is not to connect inter-Korean dialogue with the family reunions. Meanwhile, the recent reunions reawakened the urgent need to expand the inter-Korean family reunion program and hold it regularly on the humanitarian grounds. The number of South Koreans who have applied for the reunion program amounts to 127-thousand. Out of them, some 40-thousand have already died, never realizing their lifelong dream. And most of the remaining applicants are very old. Experts also point out that the family reunions are vulnerable to ever-changing political situations, raising voices for a more fundamental solution.

It may be difficult to hold the reunions every month or so. But the two sides could hold the event on traditional holidays, like lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok, and other special occasions the two Koreas celebrate together, such as August 15 Liberation Day and the anniversaries of the first and second inter-Korean summits. It’s possible to regularize the family reunions in this way. First of all, the two sides need to exchange the lists of separated families hoping to see their lost kin again and then confirm their life status. The two Koreas can also allow those who have already participated in the reunion program to conduct mail exchanges or video reunions, so the reunions won’t end up being a one-time event and the split families can continue to keep in touch with each other.

The separated families wrapped up the brief, three-day reunions and bade farewell to their loved ones, not knowing when, or if, they will meet again. South and North Korea must approach this humanitarian concern with flexibility, along with other pending inter-Korean issues, including the Mt. Geumgang tour program.


[Interview] Chuseok Event for Elderly N. Korean Defectors
Just two days remain before the traditional holiday of Chuseok. But some people feel lonelier on special occasions when families and relatives gather round. They are defectors from North Korea, who suffer from homesickness. On September 19, a special event was held for these folks at a welfare center in Shinjeong-dong in Seoul. The Yangcheon District Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification invited elderly North Korean defectors to a yaksik-making event, the first occasion of its kind. Yaksik is steamed glutinous rice flavored with sugar, sesame oil, jujubes and chestnuts. Here’s Song Ho-gyu, who is in charge of programs for North Korean defectors at the Yangcheon District Office.

About 1,150 North Korean defectors live in the Yangcheon District. The number is the largest in terms of defectors residing in a particular district in South Korea. Many newcomers feel lonely and suffer from nostalgia, as the thanksgiving holiday of Chuseok draws nearer. To comfort them and help them feel closer to South Korean citizens, we organized this event today. Usually, people become happy while making food together. Through this event, we wanted to make the senior citizens from North Korea feel happy and better adjust to their South Korean life.

So why did the organizers choose yaksik among other traditional Chuseok foods? Mr. Song has the answer.

In North Korea, yaksik is one of the rare dishes that are hard to find. As you know, food is insufficient in the impoverished North. Some people are fortunate enough to eat yaksik, but the ingredients are inadequate. For example, jujube is the only ingredient available. And most North Koreans don’t usually have the chance to taste it. In South Korea, it’s easy to find delicious yaksik. We hoped the North Korean defectors would enjoy the delicacy and experience what South Korean society is like, through this food.

A teacher demonstrated how to make yaksik and then helped participants make their own. First, they soaked glutinous rice in water and mixed it with sugar, soy sauce, cinnamon powder and sesame oil before steaming. After steaming the rice for the instructed period of time, they added pine nuts. Then, the mouth-watering yaksik was complete and the 20 participants happily ate the food together.

…I’m very happy and I really thank them for teaching me how to make this food. We, North Koreans, have never seen yaksik before, much less made it. And I’m glad to see many people show interest in us.

…It was really fun to make yaksik. We haven’t had an opportunity to cook South Korean foods since we came here. I was impressed by the teacher who taught us every single tip in making the food. Chuseok is just around the corner, and I’m thinking of making yaksik at home with my children on the holiday. It makes me happy just imagining all my family members enjoying this delicious food together. Thank you so much. I’m very happy.

The senior citizens said making yakshik reminded them of what Chuseok was like in their home country. To help ease their homesickness, South Korean officials allowed them to jointly conduct an ancestral ritual on an altar inside the Imjin Pavilion, located near the inter-Korean border, on September 29. It gave the defectors a chance to reminisce about their lost homes and families in North Korea, though only for a short while. They say these events are a great consolation for them and help comfort them during the holiday season.

…On Chuseok, North Koreans usually eat rice cake made of glutinous rice and make side dishes with wild greens. I often think of my ancestors’ graves in North Korea. I’m very worried about how my children are doing there. I wish I could bring this rice and food to my kids.

…I used to visit my ancestors’ tombs in the mountains on Chuseok. After holding a memorial service there, I returned home and had meals with my family. Ahead of Chuseok, I feel sad at the thought of my children. I’m wondering how they observe the holiday and whether they’re starving. But I’m glad that people here are willing to treat us. Their warm hospitality makes us feel less depressed.

Now the elderly North Koreans know they aren’t alone. We hope they will share their joys and sorrows with many more South Koreans this Chuseok.