Members of divided families fret over possible cancellation of reunions

Posted on : 2014-02-14 11:52 KST Modified on : 2014-02-14 11:52 KST
Korean Red Cross inundated with calls from families hoping to see their families in the North one last time
 a staff member at the Korean Red Cross
a staff member at the Korean Red Cross

By Ha Eo-young, staff reporter

The fate of the family reunions was left unclear when North Korea demanded that the Feb. 24 start date for the Key Resolve exercises be pushed back until after the event. Members of the second group of families, whose reunions dates of Feb. 23 and 25 overlap with the exercises, are growing increasingly concerned.

“It’s tough for me to walk because of my legs, but I have to see his face again before I die,” said 89-year-old Lee O-sun of the younger brother - 85-year-old Won-je - she is scheduled to see at the reunions. Won-je was taken to North Korea in the early stages of Korean War in 1950.

“I bought him a jacket and a set of long underwear, and I have to get them to him,” Lee said. “I wish the two sides would make some concessions so that I can see my little brother’s face again before I die,” she pleaded.

Kim Gi-young, 81, also had a brother, 85-year-old Gi-seong, who was taken to the North in 1950. “I can vaguely remember my brother being a student,” he said. “I saw the news, and it said the government plans to just go ahead with the [joint military] exercises. I hope they’ll consider whether there isn’t some other way.”

The inter-Korean exchange team of the South Korean Red Cross was inundated with calls on Feb. 13 asking if the reunions are going ahead as scheduled.

“The people at the reunions may be a bit more anxious because they’re elderly,” said a Red Cross staff member. “We’re trying to put everybody who calls at ease, telling them that preparations are going ahead without a program and that they should stop worrying and just focus on taking good care of themselves.”

 

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