South and North Korea discuss communication between separated families

North Korean Joo Jae Eun, right, hugs with his South Korean brother Joo Jae-hui in a bid farewell after the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Oct. 26, 2015. Parents and children, brothers and sisters and other relatives separated by the Korean war wept and hugged each other as they parted after their brief reunions, most for the first time in more than six decades. (Kim Do-hoon/Yonhap via AP)

Kim Seoung Go, head of South Korea’s Red Cross, said that she had discussions with her North Korean counterpart to ensure that the remaining family members of separated families are still alive. They also discussed the possibility of enabling them to exchange letters and video calls.

She added in an interview with KBS, that ever since she became head of South Korea’s delegation in family reunions program, she had had three official meetings and two unofficial meetings with the head of North Korea’s Red Cross, Rhee Cheong Bok.

She said that she thinks that it’s a positive sign that North Korea is open to have discussions related to humanitarian projects.

She also said that these were the first high-level talks to pay off since 25th August, also saying that the family reunions ended on a good note.

She hopes that the next stage of similar projects would be carried down with the help from the government. As a result, further talks between Red Cross in South and North Korea about separated families’ communication are expected to be held.