[정치]The remaining time for the reunion of separated families is 5 years… Expand the horizon to the children’s generation

[앵커]

The sorrow of separated families who have been separated from their families due to division grows bigger during the holidays.

As the aging of the first generation of separated families intensifies every year, it is judged that there are now more than five years left for face-to-face reunions.

Therefore, it is pointed out that the horizon of separated family policy centered on the first generation should be expanded to include exchanges between the second and third generations.

Correspondent Hong Joo-ye.

[기자]

Lee Jong-won, grandfather of Lee Jong-won, who fled his hometown of Hwanghae-do to escape bombing during the Korean War.

Before the holiday, I met the Minister of Unification.

After leaving South Korea alone, he brings up the story of his family, whom he has never even heard of.

[이종원 / 이산가족 1세대 : ‘우리 집안 대표로 피난 나가니까 고생해도 책은 놓지 마, 어른 되도록 책하고 싸워야 해'(라고 할머니께서 말씀하셨습니다.)]

A total of 133,000 separated families registered with the government,

Of these, 89,000 have already died.

In addition, 66% of the 43,000 survivors are over 80 years old.

Considering the life expectancy, the Ministry of Unification judged that there are only five years left for the face-to-face reunion.

For this reason, we are working hard to revive the spark of exchange between separated families that was last extinguished at the 21st reunion in 2018.

[권영세 / 통일부 장관 : 남과 북의 책임 있는 당국자들이 빠른 시일 내에 직접 만나서 이산가족 문제를 비롯한 인도적 사안을 허심탄회하게 논의할 수 있기를 기대합니다.]

In addition, 8 out of 10 separated families do not even know the life or death of their families in the North, so the most urgent policy to pursue is a full-scale confirmation of life and death.

[이규창 / 통일연구원 선임연구위원 : 이산가족들 입장에서는 자신의 가족들이 다 살아있는지 또는 죽었는지 이런 것들을 지금 모르는 상황이기 때문에 북한에 있는 가족이 살아있는지 이제 그런 걸 가장 확인하고 싶은 거겠죠.]

At the same time, the need to prepare mid- to long-term measures to prepare for the aftermath of the first discrete generation is growing.

It is pointed out that the policy horizons should be broadened so that exchanges between children and grandchildren of North and South Korea continue, such as visiting hometowns and cemeteries.

This is YTN Hong Joo Ye.

YTN Hong Joo-ye ([e-mail])

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