Koreas to hold family reunions

Seoul, June 22: North and South Korea agreed Friday to resume reunions for families separated by the Korean War in August — the first such meetings since 2015 and the latest step in a remarkable diplomatic thaw on the peninsula.

Millions of people were separated during the 195053 conflict that sealed the division of two Koreas.

Most died without the chance to see or hear from their relatives on the other side of the border, across which all civilian communication is banned. The resumption of reunions was among the agreements reached between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South’s president Moon Jae- in at their landmark summit in April.

Officials from both sides met at Mount Kumgang resort on Friday and set a date for late August.

“The reunion will be held from August 20 to 26 and 100 participants will be selected from each side,” said a joint SeoulPyongyang statement released by the South’s unification ministry.

South Korean officials will inspect the resort — the venue of the reunions — from next week and the two sides will exchange their final lists of participants by August 4, it added.