The South Korean government is experiencing difficulties in surveying families separated by the Korean War as it prepares to make reunions for those families a regular event.

A Unification Ministry official said Wednesday that there are a large number of people who cannot be reached and only about half of all the divided family members have been accounted for.

The official said that although the ministry is tracking down addresses, it is often unsuccessful, which is delaying the survey.

The ministry and the Korean Red Cross had planned in April to account for addresses, telephone numbers, changes in family relations, and the timing of separation of the some 82-thousand members of separated families whose information is registered in the government database. The survey began in April and was scheduled to be completed by late this month.