South Korea proposes meeting with North on family reunions

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has proposed a meeting with North Korea to discuss a resumption of reunions of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War, despite long-strained ties over the North’s nuclear weapons program. Reunions are a highly emotional issue because they involve aged people separated for decades without knowing if their relatives are still alive. North Korea has already rejected a recent South Korean offer of aid in return for denuclearization, and it’s unlikely to accept the offer for reunions, which were last allowed in 2018. Seoul’s unification minister said Thursday that South Korea hopes officials of the two Koreas can meet soon for a frank discussion.