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| Korea family talks set to resume | Korea family talks set to resume |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Officials from South Korea are on their way to the North for talks that could allow divided families to meet again. | Officials from South Korea are on their way to the North for talks that could allow divided families to meet again. |
| After a long period of tension, reunions were halted in early 2008. The move reflects a recent improvement in relations between the two countries. | After a long period of tension, reunions were halted in early 2008. The move reflects a recent improvement in relations between the two countries. |
| If the meetings go ahead, only a fraction of the thousands of families, separated by war 50 years ago, will be allowed to see their relatives briefly. | If the meetings go ahead, only a fraction of the thousands of families, separated by war 50 years ago, will be allowed to see their relatives briefly. |
| The talks are organised by the Red Cross and could last three days. | The talks are organised by the Red Cross and could last three days. |
| In another sign of easing tension, last week North officials attended the funeral of South Korea's ex-President Kim Dae-jung. | In another sign of easing tension, last week North officials attended the funeral of South Korea's ex-President Kim Dae-jung. |
| Earlier, US ex-President Bill Clinton had talks in the North to secure the release of two American journalists. | Earlier, US ex-President Bill Clinton had talks in the North to secure the release of two American journalists. |
| Limited numbers | |
| The BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says that for hundreds of thousands of Koreans, separated from their relatives by war in the 1950s, time is running out. | The BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says that for hundreds of thousands of Koreans, separated from their relatives by war in the 1950s, time is running out. |
| But even if successful it is likely that only a fraction of those families on the waiting list will be able to see their relatives in highly emotional but all-too-brief meetings, our correspondent adds. | But even if successful it is likely that only a fraction of those families on the waiting list will be able to see their relatives in highly emotional but all-too-brief meetings, our correspondent adds. |
| Reunions could start as early as October, but only about 100 families from the 100,000 or so searching for their relatives were likely to be involved. | |
| In the early part of the decade about 16,000 families were briefly reunited. | |
| The reunions were stopped after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in February 2008 amid North Korean anger at his policy of ending unconditional aid handouts. | |
| He has tied a resumption of aid to progress on North Korean nuclear disarmament. |