South Korea proposes meeting with North on family reunions

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/ [login to see] /south-korea-north-family-reunions
South Korea's new government on Thursday proposed a meeting with North Korea to resume reunions of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War, despite long-strained ties between the rivals over the North's nuclear weapons program.

Family reunions are a highly emotional, humanitarian issue because they involve those in their 80s and older who are desperate to reunite with their long-lost relatives before they die. But North Korea, which often uses such reunions as a bargaining chip in dealings with South Korea, is unlikely to accept the offer because it's steadfastly rebuffing Seoul's and Washington's offers to resume talks on its nuclear program and other issues while focusing instead on perfecting its weapons technology.

"The South and the North should confront the painful parts of the reality. We must solve the matter before the term 'separated families' disappears," Unification Minister Kwon Youngse said in a televised briefing. "We need to use all possible means immediately to come up with quick and fundamental measures."