Private exchanges between separated families in South and North Korea have diminished considerably over the past several years.

The Unification Ministry in Seoul said that there had been ten exchanges between families in the two Koreas that were separated by the Korean War.

Exchanges between the two nations stood at 542 cases in 2007, then steadily fell to 314 cases in 2008, 119 cases in 2009, 38 in 2010 and 28 last year.

The ministry attributed the sharp fall to the North’s strict regulations aimed at protecting its Socialist regime as well as the aging of the separated family members.

Private exchanges, which are separate from official reunions hosted by the two governments, are usually held in China via brokers.