North Korean officials announced on Monday their plans to meet with the South and the Red Cross to talk over reuniting families who were divided by the Korean War.
South Korea accepted the proposal, according to Arirang, and requested the two Koreas meet at the village of Panmunjom, located on the de facto border between North and South, on Wednesday.
The North and the South are slated to decide the exact location and time of the reunions, Arirang reported.
"The exact date must be discussed with North Korea at the working-level talks, but the South Korean government will try to have the family reunions held as soon as possible, considering the urgency of the matter," Seoul's unification ministry told Arirang.
South Korea initially asked to have the reunions at Mt. Kumgang in North Korea from Feb. 17 - 22, but the trip was far too much of a trek, given the pressing nature of the meetings.
The two Koreas have long-battled one another for reunions of families separated by the Korean war. Often, Seoul and Pyonyang officials will initiate talks for reunions, then renege their meeting plans.
"South Korea had earlier said the reunion dates could be changed at the North's request, if it was for justifiable reasons," Arirang News' Hwang Sung-hee stated. "But because North Korea has a history of walking out of its agreements, the elderly family members waiting to reunite for the first time in more than six decades will likely have their fingers crossed until the day they see their loved ones again."
