"Only 5 Years Left to Live... Ministry of Unification Urges Permission for Separated Families to Visit North Korea"

Civic Groups Urge Government to Intensify Efforts for Separated Families Reunion
Separated Families Association: "Will Reapply for North Korea Visit After Document Supplementation"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The South-North Korean Families Association and civic groups have urged the government to support private-sector reunions of separated families and to grant permission for visits to North Korea. Previously, the South-North Korean Families Association received an invitation letter from North Korea and submitted a visit application, but the Ministry of Unification rejected it, citing "unclear intentions from the North side."

On the afternoon of the 22nd, about 60 organizations including the South-North Korean Families Association, the Public Surveillance Civil Rights Council, and the National Solidarity held a press conference at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, calling for permission to visit North Korea for private-sector family reunions.

Organizations such as the South-North Separated Families Association are urging the government, which denied the application for visiting North Korea, to make efforts for reunions of separated families.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Song Un-hak, representative of the Public Surveillance Civil Rights Council, said, "In a situation where the South and North exchange verbal attacks, it is a tremendous achievement that the private sector received an invitation letter from the North without government or institutional help, but it is regrettable that the Ministry of Unification rejected it." He emphasized, "Separated families, whose average remaining life expectancy is estimated to be about five years, likely have the last wish to meet their separated blood relatives even once."

Furthermore, the groups urged the South and North authorities to take steps toward family reunions. They requested the North to publicly reaffirm the "guarantee of personal safety" to resolve the Ministry of Unification's reasons for rejecting the visit application, and appealed to the Ministry of Unification not to insist solely on official-level talks but to immediately approve the visit application submitted by the South-North Korean Families Association.

Organizations such as the South-North Separated Families Association are urging the government, which has denied applications for visits to the North, to make efforts for reunions of separated families.

Earlier, Ryu Jae-bok, president of the South-North Korean Families Association, received an invitation letter from the North and applied for a visit to the Ministry of Unification on the 10th. The invitation letter sent by the "Overseas Chinese Children Trade Group Pyongyang Society" stated, "We invite three members of the South Korean South-North Korean Families Association delegation to discuss private-level South-North separated family-related projects," and according to President Ryu, this group is affiliated with the United Front Department. However, on the 17th, the Ministry of Unification rejected the visit application, citing "unclear intentions from the North side."

President Ryu said, "Immediately after receiving the invitation letter in November last year, I requested domestic intelligence agencies to investigate the existence of the issuing organization and was informed that it does exist." He added, "Nevertheless, the Ministry of Unification rejected the visit application, citing reasons such as the organization not being previously recognized and concerns about personal safety." He also introduced his experience during the Kim Dae-jung administration, when he arranged the confirmation of life and death for 103 separated family members at the Ministry of Unification's request, and disclosed documents exchanged between the South and North at that time.

Meanwhile, President Ryu plans to reapply for the visit to North Korea soon after supplementing the documents. If the visit is approved, he intends to negotiate with North Korean institutions related to separated families and private-sector groups to first obtain confirmation documents for life and death verification and reunion.

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