Seoul's Unification Ministry has announced it plans to build six to seven more centers equipped for inter-Korean video reunions of families separated by the Korean War. 

In a Monday briefing, ministry spokesperson Lee Jong-joo noted the 13 existing centers are mostly concentrated in the greater metro area, adding the new centers will be located at points nationwide.

Lee underlined the need to expand infrastructure to enable non-contact family reunions and exchanges amid the ongoing pandemic. 

The government will also conduct a survey on separated families to find the exact number of survivors. It will be carried out from Tuesday through October on some 48-thousand people who have applied for reunions both at home and abroad. It is the third such survey to be conducted after surveys done in 2016 and 2011.

The government aims to update and collect more accurate information as survivors continue to age and also find out which methods people most wish to use to communicate with their families in North Korea.

The survey will be conducted via telephone, mail and visits. The results are set to be announced in October.