The South's Korean Red Cross has selected five-hundred preliminary candidates for the upcoming inter-Korean family reunions to be held next month.

The Red Cross on Saturday held a meeting at its headquarters and decided to give priority to older candidates who have been waiting to meet their direct family members in the North.

Based on the qualifications standard, a preliminary batch of five-hundred out of some 73-thousand applicants has been selected through a computer draw system. 

The Red Cross will check on the health status and intentions of the 500 out of which it will select 200 to 250. It will then exchange the list with the North on Thursday to confirm the fate of the separated families whom the South Korean candidates are seeking to be reunited with.

The two sides will exchange the final list on September 16 for the six-day reunion event starting on September 25.

The two Koreas on Friday agreed to hold reunions after marathon negotiations at the truce village of Panmunjem. The family reunions will take place at the Mount Geumgang resort in the North.