KNRC selects 100 for family reunion in North Korea

The Korea National Red Cross (KNRC) Monday finalized the list of 100 separated family members who will visit Pyongyang for the second round of inter-Korean family reunions from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.

The KNRC and North Korean Red Cross society will exchange their respective lists of the visitors at the truce village of Panmunjom on Nov. 18.

KNRC Secretary General Park Ki-Ryun said that the screening committee chose the people who will visit North Korea according to the principle of giving priority to lineal family members, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts and the aged in that order. They were individually notified of their selection by the KNRC.

The committee selected 99 candidates who have direct family members such as spouses, children, brothers and sisters, including Yu Tu-Hi, 100, from Wonju, Kangwon-do, the oldest of all, and Ahn Jin-Sam, 91, who has a relative in the North.

It formed a 100 member visitors¡¯ group by adding to the list Woo Won-Hyong, 72, who gave up his chance to go to Pyongyang in the first family reunion program to Chang I-Yun, 72, whose 109-year-old mother was thought to be alive but later was confirmed dead.

The 100 selected persons included 74 men and 26 women. One is over 100, three are in their 90s, 28 in their 80s, 67 in 70s and one is aged below 69.

28 were born in Hwanghae-do, followed by 19 in Pyongannam-do, 16 in Hamgyongnam-do and 11 in Pyonganpuk-do. 36 are from Seoul, and 22 from Kyonggi-do, followed by 16 from Inchon, eight from Pusan, five from Taejon and three from Chungchongnam-do.

Park said there are 25 candidates on the waiting list, noting that they will have a chance to go to the North according to the priority order if anyone cancels for personal reasons.