Two Koreas want war families united

Divided by the 1950-53 Korean War, reunion talks to take place this month.

The two Koreas agreed at a high-level meeting yesterday to hold talks this month on military issues and reunions of families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The meeting in the border village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone that separates North and South Korea is the latest in a flurry of diplomatic activity intended to sustain a thaw in relations with the isolated North.

North Korea had called off a planned meeting with the South last month in protest against USSouth Korean air combat exercises, before South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un put the process back on track during a surprise second summit on Saturday.

While the two Koreas work to improve their ties, North Korea is in talks with the US on a proposed summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, tentatively set for June 12 in Singapore.

Military talks between the old rivals will take place on June 14 on the northern side of Panmunjom. A separate session on sports exchanges on the southern side on June 18, the two sides said.

Talks about reunions of families divided by the war, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, would be held on June 22 north of the border.

Family reunions are an emotional issue that could help restore trust but they have been stalled in the absence of political engagement, said Elhadj As Sy, secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross. – Reuters