Reunion time for Koreans

HUNDREDS of Koreans will participate this week in highly emotional but brief reunions with relatives most haven’t seen since the 1950-53 Korean War cemented the division of their peninsula into the North and South.

The reunions will be held at the North’s Diamond Mountain resort starting today.

Both Koreas have banned ordinary citizens from visiting relatives on the other side of the border or contacting them without permission.

Nearly 20,000 people have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions since 2000.