Some Elderly Koreans Uncertain About Separated Family Reunion

 

After World War II, many Korean families who were North or South of the line that divided the two countries were separated.

The Korean War more than 60 years ago made meeting nearly impossible.

And now some separated families in South Korea say they are not sure they want to take part in next week’s inter-Korean reunions.

The reunion for separated families will take place from August 20 to 26 in the North’s Kumgang mountain resort. The reunion is one of many cooperation and exchange programs meant to aid relations between the two countries. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to the meetings at an inter-Korean summit in April.

Fewer families members remain

This year, fewer than 100 family members from both sides will take part.

Some people are in their 80s and their family members have died.

Baik Seong-yeon is 84 years-old. She learned that her brothers and sisters in North Korea had already died after she was chosen to join the reunion for separated families.

Baik will meet with the spouses² of her late brother and sister, and with a niece from the North Korean side of her family. She does not expect an emotional meeting because she does not know them.

“As I have not met them before, I do not have a personal attachment³, but I think that we are blood-related,” said Baik.

Years of division

Baik was born in Sunchon in the South Pyongan Province in North Korea. She fled to the South to escape the fighting during the war. She left behind her parents and siblings⁵.

For the last 70 years, she, along with millions of others families that were separated during the fighting, was not permitted to return or contact her family. Both North and South Korea restrict communication with the other side.

The official family reunions began in the year 2000 when the South Korean government offered ways to aid the North. The offers included economic assistance, in an effort to improve relations.

But the meetings have not been held often because of tensions over the North’s nuclear tests and other actions. These include an incident in which North Korea fired artillery⁶ at a South Korean border island in 2010.

So far the program has reunited only a small number of the more than 57,000 South Koreans who are registered to take part. The most recent family reunion was held three years ago.

Losing touch with family members

War survivors⁷ like 90-year-old Kang Hwa-ja, are weak and suffering from decreasing mental abilities. She lives with her daughter in Incheon and needs assistance to walk.

Kang’s daughter Kim Yeon-sook said she did not ask to take part in this year’s reunion. She was surprised when she was chosen. When she learned all her close relatives were dead, she was unsure if she should go.

“As they are not her direct brother or sister, there will be an emotional gap,” said Kim, who will go with her mother to meet the son and daughter of Kang's brother.

Kang Hwa-ja, Baik Seong-yeon and other aging survivors have decided⁸ to go so they can learn how their relatives lived and died in the North. They say they consider it a chance to say goodbye.

“When we meet, we will talk about what happened in the past. It probably will be the first and the last time,” said Baik.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

reunion – n. rejoining two things or people or groups

resort – n. a place for a vacation or holiday

spouse¹ – n. a husband or a wife

niece – n. the daughter of a brother or sister

sibling⁴ – n. a brother or sister

gap – n. an unfilled space

1 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

2 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

3 attachment   

n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附

参考例句：

• She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
• She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。

4 sibling   

n.同胞手足(指兄、弟、姐或妹)

参考例句：

• Many of us hate living in the shadows of a more successful sibling.我们很多人都讨厌活在更为成功的手足的阴影下。
• Sibling ravalry has been common in this family.这个家里，兄弟姊妹之间的矛盾很平常。

5 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

6 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

7 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。