Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Reunion of North and South Korean families separated by war


        War is a terrible plague that brings nothing but destruction and disaster to states and turnes to be a calamity for people of each side. Korean War of 1950-1953 was not an exception. It not only separated the integral nation into two hostile states, but slendered millions of civillians forcing them to lost their closest relatives.

        Nowadays, continuous tensions between North and South make more than 72000 Koreans put up with the idea that they have a little chance to see again their relatives living out of the border. Recent news transmits that program, which was suspended in 2010, when North Korea shelled South Korean borders, has been launched again, and will take place in Mount Kumdang, just north of the border, between February 20-25. The program, which gives a tiny spark of hope for people to retrive their family again, although, has plenty of drawbacks. Number of people who will be able to reunite with their lost family members are very limited. Only hundred people of more than 70000 will win such look-in. Moreover, nearly half of the men that are in waiting list are aged over 80 and might never see their brothers or sisters. South Korea uses some kind of a lottery to determine the participants of the program, while North keeps its selection process subterraneous. On top of that, most of the people separated from their family members are not able to get information about their relatives, to learn if they are alive due to each side's willingness to prevent its citizens from exchanging mails, phone calls or even e-mails.

   
      Nevertheless, program might seem a glimpse that mitigates hostile relationships between states, South remains quite sceptical that it could be guarantee of warmer ties. North Korea uses reunion program as bargaining chip to achieve some objectives, namely, cancelliation of annual military drill, or suspends it in relation to South Korean actions that it opposes, paying no attention to the problem of families forced to live apart from each other for decades.

1 comment:

  1. The question of forced immigration and separated families is one of the vital problems of the war-torn territories. Israeli-Palestinian one has been the source of sufferings for many israelis as well as palestinians. In the recent past, German Democratic Republic and Federal Republic of Germany experienced this complex problem as well due to a wrong approach to this global problem. 98%.

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