Agreement between two Koreas over mail exchange

South and North Korea have agreed on inter-Korean mail exchange at their second ministerial talks in Pyongyang, that will lead to finding out whether the long-separated families are alive or not.

The exchange of correspondence between the two Koreas will be the initial toward finding whereabouts of the displaced families, expanding size and frequencies of the family reunion program and the installations of their meeting point, that could eventually lead to regularizing their unions and permanent resttlements.

In view of the fact that the first-genration families are getting older, the measure will be helpful for confirming their safety and sharing their joys.

The prospects are bright foor this end, as the South and North Korean authories have reached a consensus on the urgent necessity to relieve the pains and agnony of the long-separated families. In this connection, Unification Minister Park Jae-Kyu said upon returning from Pyongyang Sunday morning that, although the e! xchange of corresponce was not specified in the agreement, he had confirmed a firm Pyongyang resolution to resolve the family-reunion program basically.

Kim Young-Sik spear@donga.com