Anchor: The South Korean Prime Minister has expressed hope that reunions of families separated by the Korean War may be held as soon as August or October. Lee Nak-yon made the remarks while appearing on KBS' "Inside the Issue" which aired on Sunday.
Our Kim In-kyung has more.
 
Report: Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has expressed hope that the two Koreas will hold reunions of families separated by the Korean War on Liberation Day on August 15th or during the Chuseok holidays at the beginning of October.
 
Lee appeared on a KBS program which aired on Sunday, and was asked if the government was considering inter-Korean family reunions during the upcoming holidays.
 
[Sound bite: Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (Korean)]
"It appears inter-Korean relations remain frozen but the South provided anti-malaria aid for the North, and South Korean football players went to Pyongyang for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifying matches even when the North launched missiles. North Korean players also visited the South for taekwondo and ice hockey championships. These humanitarian and inter-Korean exchanges in sports are continuing just like the river flowing underneath a layer of ice. I hope the two Koreas take one step farther to hold inter-Korean family reunions.”
 
The prime minister also said that the nation’s North Korea policy is not different from that of the international community’s seeking sanctions and pressure, but efforts to seek dialogue should not stop.
 
On the issue of Japan’s wartime sex slavery of Korean women, he said that Japan will have to recognize the reality that South Koreans are not emotionally accepting the agreement between Seoul and Tokyo on the matter.
 
[Sound bite: Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (Korean)]
“Japan can claim that the deal was agreed between two nations, and thus it must be observed, but the deal has problems in that it failed to secure understanding from the Korean victims. I hope Japan will understand that aspect.”
 
In addition, Lee said that the Fair Trade Commission is preparing a strong measure to require conglomerates to support small businesses. He also said that the government could promote income-led economic growth by actively supporting small firms and thus increasing wages for non-regular workers.
Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.
 
 

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