ID :
199521
Sat, 08/06/2011 - 17:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/199521
The shortlink copeid
Select Korean-Americans to be allowed to exchange letters with their families in N. Korea
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has agreed to allow 10 Korean-Americans to exchange letters with their families in the communist country whom they have not seen since the Korean War more than a half century ago, a South Korean Red Cross official Saturday.
The agreement, the first of its kind, was reached in contact between the U.S. Red Cross and North Korea's U.N. diplomatic mission in New York in May, said the Seoul official, requesting anonymity.
If the pilot agreement is successfully carried out, it is expected to lead to actual reunions of separated families in the two sides, the source said.
"The exchange of letters will be done through Red Cross, and both sides are expected to discuss family reunions later," the official said.
Under the auspices of Red Cross, thousands of separated families in South and North Korea have been temporarily reunited since the mid-1980s. No such reunions have taken place for an estimated 10,000 Korean immigrants living in the U.S.
North Korea, an isolated communist country, has so far been passive about such reunions, apparently seeing them as a factor that might destabilize its poverty-stricken people.
The latest North Korean move comes as it tries to improve ties with the U.S. with which it has no formal ties. The U.S. fought against North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War.
Last week, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan visited the U.S. for discussions on wide-ranging bilateral and other issues, including the stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
After meeting with Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special envoy on North Korea, in New York, Kim said the discussions were helpful for improvement of ties between the two countries.
The agreement, the first of its kind, was reached in contact between the U.S. Red Cross and North Korea's U.N. diplomatic mission in New York in May, said the Seoul official, requesting anonymity.
If the pilot agreement is successfully carried out, it is expected to lead to actual reunions of separated families in the two sides, the source said.
"The exchange of letters will be done through Red Cross, and both sides are expected to discuss family reunions later," the official said.
Under the auspices of Red Cross, thousands of separated families in South and North Korea have been temporarily reunited since the mid-1980s. No such reunions have taken place for an estimated 10,000 Korean immigrants living in the U.S.
North Korea, an isolated communist country, has so far been passive about such reunions, apparently seeing them as a factor that might destabilize its poverty-stricken people.
The latest North Korean move comes as it tries to improve ties with the U.S. with which it has no formal ties. The U.S. fought against North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War.
Last week, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan visited the U.S. for discussions on wide-ranging bilateral and other issues, including the stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
After meeting with Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special envoy on North Korea, in New York, Kim said the discussions were helpful for improvement of ties between the two countries.
