North-South Korea meet after 56 yrs to say bye

Seoul, Sep 27: Several South Koreans crossed armed border to meet family members in the communist North.

The division took place more than half a century ago based on war and ideology.

The two Koreas began reunions in 2000 for the several divided families but the political tension prevented the programme to be carried out in the last two years.

Some in the South Korean group said the meetings would give them a chance at last to say goodbye.

“I"ll probably tell them, 'You are alive. How good it would have been if sister was alive"," said a tearful Lee Sun-ok she remembering her older and now deceased sister.

“I thought maybe when the world gets turned upside down, I might get back to see them."

The 97 South Koreans reunited with 240 North Korean sons and daughters, brothers and sisters in the three-day event held at the Morth"s resort of Mount Kumgang.

There were16 rounds of family reunions for about 16,000 people from both the South and the North since they began in 2000.

Closed-circuit television links for video reunions were also set up.

However, thousands of South Koreans, who applied to take part in reunions when at first the programme was announced died without meeting their loved ones.

OneIndia News