North Korea Remains Silent on Inter-Korean Family Reunion Talks Proposal Even After Chuseok Holiday

Ministry of Unification "Plans to Continuously Urge Response"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] North Korea is not responding to the proposal for inter-Korean talks to resolve the issue of separated families. However, the government intends to take time and continue urging North Korea to respond.

An official from the Ministry of Unification stated on the 13th, "The 9 a.m. morning opening call at the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office was conducted normally," adding, "There was no discussion related to separated families during the opening call." The Ministry of Unification also explained that North Korea made no mention regarding inter-Korean talks or receipt of the notification letter to the North.

Unification Minister Kwon Young-se proposed inter-Korean talks to resolve the separated families issue in a statement at the Seoul Government Complex on the morning of the 8th, just before the Chuseok holiday, and has also attempted to send a notification letter to the North. The notification letter is in Minister Kwon’s name, and the recipient is Ri Son-gwon, head of the United Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The notification letter reportedly includes a proposal to hold inter-Korean talks for a fundamental resolution of the separated families issue, as well as details such as the date, location, agenda, and format of the talks, with a commitment to actively consider North Korea’s preferences.

North Korea ended calls at the Inter-Korean Liaison Office without responding to the South Korean government’s persistent attempts to deliver the notification letter on the 8th, and did not clarify its position during the first call after the holiday. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Unification plans to continue demanding a response.

An official from the Ministry of Unification said, "Since the government made a public proposal, the North should be aware of our position," and added that they plan to continuously urge North Korea to respond.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.