Final reunion list to be decided Friday

The Republic of Korea National Red Cross (KNRC) announced today that it would hold a fourth round of meetings to decide on the final list of the 100 South Koreans who will reunite with their relatives in North Korea on August 15.

A Red Cross official said that priority would be given to people with immediate family members in the North. The finalists will not be chosen through a computerized lottery system.

He added that the North and South would exchange lists of the total 200 candidates whose relatives have been traced this Thursday. The Red Cross will announce the final reunion list August 8.

All the expenses of the August 15 reunions will be covered by the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, the government said. The government is also considering using the fund to cover the cost of gifts.