Separated Families Association's Planned North Korea Visit Fails Again... Why Were Contacts with North Korean Residents Also Rejected?

The South-North Isolated Families Association Reapplies for North Korea Visit with North's Invitation Letter
Ministry of Unification: "Invitation Issuing Organization Engages in Foreign Currency Earning for Other Purposes... Denied"
Association Reacts: "Does the Ministry of Unification Lack Will to Resolve Separated Families Issue?"

The South-North Separated Families Association reapplied for a visit to North Korea in February this year after being rejected, but received another denial from the government.

According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 12th, Ryu Jaebok, president of the South-North Separated Families Association, and two others applied to the Ministry of Unification for a visit to North Korea on the 27th of last month, but the application was denied. It was also confirmed that the Ministry of Unification rejected the report of contact with North Korean residents submitted by seven association officials, including President Ryu Jaebok.

2018 Reunion Event for Separated Families Held at Geumgangsan

Earlier, the association applied for a visit based on an invitation letter received from the North in February, but it was rejected. The North Korean institution that issued the invitation letter is the 'Jaejung Yujanyeo Muyeok Jipdan Pyeongtong Risahoe,' and the association claimed that their intelligence agency confirmed that this institution is managed by one of the general companies under the United Front Department of North Korea. The invitation letter document states, "To discuss civilian-level projects related to separated families between the North and South, we invite three members of the South Korean South-North Separated Families Association," and "When the above group visits Pyongyang, their safety and living expenses will be guaranteed."

At that time, the Ministry of Unification rejected the visit application, stating, "The invitation letter does not practically qualify as a document that can confirm the invitation intention from North Korean authorities or organizations." Subsequently, the Ministry requested the association to supplement the documents, and the association attached proof of existence such as photos and business cards featuring former high-ranking overseas diplomats involved in the invitation process and North Korean officials.

However, with the Ministry of Unification issuing another denial, the association is strongly protesting. President Ryu said, "The Ministry of Unification's Separated Families Division told us to 'supplement the visit plan and invitation letter in detail,' so we painstakingly obtained photos and business cards to prove the substance, but now they are rejecting it on the grounds that the invitation letter itself is problematic. I cannot understand this," adding, "This suggests that the Ministry of Unification has no intention of resolving the separated families issue."

The association views the rejection of the report of contact with North Korean residents as unjustified. According to the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, "a report can only be refused if there is a clear concern that it will harm inter-Korean exchange and cooperation or pose a clear threat to national security, order maintenance, or public welfare." They argue that interpreting contact for the purpose of separated families exchange as such a 'concern' is excessive.

A Ministry of Unification official explained, "We judged that the proposal or invitation intention from the North Korean counterpart (the institution issuing the invitation letter) is still for foreign currency earning, so it does not align with the purpose of civilian exchanges for separated families," and added, "Since the report of contact with residents is intended as a preliminary contact for the visit, it was rejected for the same reason."

The association plans to obtain another invitation letter from a North Korean institution that the Ministry of Unification has previously approved for visits. So far, organizations in North Korea dealing with separated families issues include the Chosun Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (APPC), the National Economic Cooperation Federation (Min Gyeong Ryeon), and the National Reconciliation Council (Min Hwa Hyeop).

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