FACTBOX-Korean families separated by war and abduction
26 Sep 2009 02:59:06 GMT Source: Reuters
(For full story, click [nSEO232739]) SEOUL, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The rival Koreas this weekend hold a reunion of families separated after the 1950-1953 Korean War at a mountain resort in the North. The highly emotional reunions had been suspended for about two years because of political strife between the two states, which are still technically at war because they have yet to sign a peace treaty to end hostilities. The following are some facts about separated Korean families: * About 127,000 in the South reported in 1988 that they believed missing family members were in the North. About 40,000 of these South Koreans have died since then, with most of them never taking part in reunions, the South Korean government said. * Border crossings were possible before the Korean War at places not heavily guarded. Numerous North Korean civilians followed the North's army when it advanced deep into the South in the early stages of the war. Many stayed after the troops were forced back. * After the war, travel between two Koreas ended for civilians, phone lines were cut and mail service ceased. A heavily patrolled 4-km (2.5 mile) wide buffer zone running the length of the entire peninsula was drawn up between the two states with razor wire fences and land mine strewn fields. * The first of only two summits between the leaders of the two Koreas in 2000 led to the first round of family reunions. * Sixteen rounds of the reunions have taken place, the last in October 2007 brought together 831 people from the two Koreas. * An additional 3,748 people have spoken to family members on the other side of the border over a closed-circuit video link beginning in 2005. * At a meeting held in August 2009 in the North's Mt. Kumgang resort, Red Cross officials agreed that 100 families from the North and South will be picked to meet separated relatives. * South Korea has pressed the North for answers on more than 540 prisoners of war and 480 civilians thought to have been abducted during and after the war and believed held in the North.* North Korea has said only 10 South Korean POWs and 11 civilians were alive there. It has refused to bargain on the issue, saying no one was being held against their will. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Christine Kim; Editing by Jon Herskovitz and Sugita Katyal)
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