Separated families deeply miss loved ones after one-off reunions

Goh Yeong-beom (73), who met his two younger brothers from North Korea during reunions of separated families in 2007, burst into tears on Wednesday, saying, “I truly want to meet (by brothers) just once more,” as he watched reunions of separated families on TV. He already took part in a reunion event once, but the one and only reunion with his brothers caused him to miss them all the more. Watching this year’s reunions, separated families in South Korea who participated in previous reunion events, revealed sense of regret and aspiration to have another chance to meet their loved ones in the North.

“Brother, please give me a call when you celebrate your 70th birthday. If you call me, I will surely visit you."

In his eyes, Goh still has clear memories of the brother, who heartily laughed while mentioning Goh’s 70th birthday party despite lacking a chance to attend. He cannot forget even today the image of his brother, who was wiping tears at a distance when they bid farewell. He ended up developing depression due to sense of regret over the reality he would never see the brothers again despite the joy of meeting his loved ones. He has tried to contact his brothers in the North through brokers but failed repeatedly. “Every single person in the delegation of families at the reunion event seems to be me in the same situation,” he said.

After watching the current reunion event on TV, Yoon Chae-geum (82) no longer behaves cheerfully. She apparently became nostalgic of her youngest sister she met 14 years ago. Soon after, she started breathing fast and wild, saying, “I share the same mind with members of the delegation who are meeting and will separate again amid tears.” Yoon said she has been touched by the story of Lee Sun-gyu (85), the wife from the South who met her husband, Oh In-se (83), from the North at the reunion event for the first time in 65 years after getting separated as a honeymoon couple. “The couple now has eased their mental pain (due to separation)…,” Yoon said.

Song Seong-ho (56), who met his aunt from the North with his father in 2009, confessed his emotion, saying, “I feel stuffy because I cannot see my aunt and cousins again.” As he had reunion only once, he could not convey to his relatives in the North the message that his father passed away the year after their reunion. “I hope that one-off reunions can lead to exchange of letters or confirming of heath conditions,” he said.

Since Yoon already met her families, she feels sorry to some extent for families who have never had a chance to meet separated families in the North. “Now it has become too late (even to have reunions with their family members again),” Yoon said. “I hope that reunion events are regularized for the sake of separated families who have had no chance to meet.”

kilo@donga.com