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Korea family talks set to resume | Korea family talks set to resume |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Red Cross officials from South Korea have crossed into the North for talks which could allow families divided by the border to begin meeting again. | |
The reunions have been suspended for almost two years, because of the worsening ties between the two nations. | |
This new round of negotiations reflects a recent improvement in relations between the two sides. | |
If the three-day talks are successful, family meetings could resume as early as October. | |
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. |
The North and South are still technically at war, as a peace treaty was never concluded at the end the inter-Korean conflict. | |
Limited numbers | Limited numbers |
The talks are being held in the North Korean resort of Mount Kumgang. | |
"Since it is a meeting being held after a year and nine months, the main topic is the dispersed family issue," chief South Korean delegate Kim Young-chol said. | |
Thousands of families were separated by the 1950-53 war | |
Even if talks are successful, it is likely that only a fraction of those families on the waiting list will be able to see their relatives in the highly emotional but all-too-brief meetings, our correspondent says. | |
Only about 100 families from the 100,000 or so searching for their relatives are likely to be involved. | |
In the early part of the decade about 16,000 families were briefly reunited. | In the early part of the decade about 16,000 families were briefly reunited. |
The countries regularly held Red Cross talks to discuss family reunions and other humanitarian issues until late 2007. | The countries regularly held Red Cross talks to discuss family reunions and other humanitarian issues until late 2007. |
However 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. | He has tied a resumption of aid to progress on North Korean nuclear disarmament. |
But in recent weeks, tensions have thawed slightly between the two neighbours. | |
Last week, Northern officials attended the funeral of South Korea's ex-President Kim Dae-jung. | |
US former President Bill Clinton also had talks in the North, where he secured the release of two American journalists. | |
North Korea also announced this month it will ease restrictions on cross-border traffic imposed last year amid the rising tension. |