NK list for family reunion in Aug.

To the joy of many waiting in earnest, the government along with the Korea National Red Cross(KNRC) released on July 16 the list of 200 North Korean candidates selected by the North`s Red Cross for the reunion of August 15 separated families.

A source in the KNRC has stated that the list was made public in order to facilitate the search for the whereabouts of the family members in the South belonging to the listed names. With the list of names, the search will be conducted to find the families through various database sources such as ones at the Separated Families Information Center, the national public database as well as databases belonging to various national police and other agencies. Through the joint effort of various branches of governmental and public agencies, the search for the living members will be conducted. The result of the search will be sent to the North on the 26th.

The source also added that along with the information on the living members in the South, the Korean Red Cross will also send the list of 100 candidates on the waiting list. The 100 candidates on the waiting list will have an opportunity to be accepted for the August 15 reunion should the search for living family members result in less than 100.

Of the 200 names sent by the North, excluding one Japanese-Korean candidate, all have been born in South Korea and the majority, 140, have passed the age of 60. Included with the names of the candidates were biographical fact sheets which contained their pictures, genders, ages, places of birth, addresses and professions at the time of separation, the list of names of separated family members and other personal details. A source at the Ministry of Unification commented that the list of names do not contain any of the high level official of the North, and includes 10 women. He further added that all the current candidates are indeed those who were born in the South but went to the North by the end of the War. Should the search for the families result in greater than 100 reunions resulting in the loss of reunion opportunity for some, a case will be made for them during the next inter-Korean talks.

The lists of candidates were exchanged on the morning of the 16th at Panmunjum.

For those who find themselves to be the family member sought by the North`s candidates, they are asked to contact by the 22nd, the Korean Red Cross (02-3705-3705) or the Ministry of Unification (02-720-2430).