S. Korea, DPRK begin talks on family reunion

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SEOUL, Aug. 23 -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday began Red Cross working-level contacts for reunion of families separated by the Korean War (1950-53).

Three-member delegates from both sides started dialogue as of 10 a.m. as scheduled at the Peace House in the South Korean side of the truce village of Panmunjom, according to the Unification Ministry.

The Red Cross officials would discuss date, venue and participants for the family reunion. The family reunion was expected to be held in Mount Kumgang as demanded by Pyongyang, but doubts remain as to whether the event can be held around the Chuseok holidays given the time needed for preparations.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said she hopes that the reunion could be held around one of the most important traditional holidays in South Korea that falls on Sept. 19 this year.

"Inter-Korean working-level Red Cross contacts are to be held in around three years. The family reunion issue is a humanitarian one that should be solved most urgently by the government," Lee Duk-haeng, Seoul's chief delegate, told reporters before leaving for the dialogue venue.

Lee said the delegates will do their best to alleviate pains of separated families by attending the talks in a sincere manner.

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