Seoul officials revealed that North and South Korea have started talks at the border town of Panmunjom Monday about resuming the reunion of families that were separated by the Korean War.
The historic meeting between rival Red Cross officials was made possible by an agreement between the two to ease tensions that left both countries in a quasi-state of war, reported The Guardian. The North had agreed to apologize for the use of a landmine that injured Seoul troops, and in return the South agreed to stop broadcasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda over the shared border.
Millions of people were separated during the 1950-53 war that sealed the division between the two Koreas. Now many Koreans who are in their 70s or older are anxious to see their loved ones before they die, reported Fox News. Many were unaware that their loved ones were even still alive because the two countries' governments banned the exchange of letters, emails and phone calls over the border.
Initially, starting in 2000, family reunions were an annual event. However, due to tensions in the past, the last reunion was held five years ago, with many others being cancelled at the last minute by North Korea.
Considering the North's propensity to use these talks as a means to gain leverage over South Korea, it remains to be seen if the two will follow through.
Further doubts have been cast by analysts who note that North Korea is likely to fire a "satellite" to celebrate its ruling party's 70th birthday next month. Similar launches have made South Korea and other neighbors defensive, worried that the Pyongyang is secretly testing a long-range missle.
In light of this meeting, Hong Soon Jick, a senior fellow at the Hyandai Research Institute in Seoul, noted that in order for the inter-Korean relations to improve, both will need to prove their sincerity, according to Bloomberg.
"Both Koreas will need to assure one another of the sincerity of their intention to improve relations," Hong said, "For now they've clearly moved out of a crisis phase."
