The relatives of South Koreans abducted by North Korea are mixed over the inter-Korean agreement to include the North's past kidnappings in talks on separated families.

The head of an association of abductees' families, Choi Woo-young, hailed Pyongyang's acknowledgement of the matter as an improvement.

The leader of a similar group, however, denied that progress was made, citing previous confirmations of the whereabouts and repatriation of abductees under the name "special separated families."

Choi Seong-yong said the North's notice of "unconfirmable" whereabouts is more agonizing to abductees' relatives, urging Seoul to thoroughly handle the matter apart from talks on separated families.