DPRK agrees with ROK on reunion of separated families

SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday agreed to hold working-level talks with the Republic of Korea (ROK) on August 23 to discuss the reunion of families separated by the Korean War (1950-53), but disagreed on venue, according to Yonhap News Agency.

DPRK proposed that the talks on reunion of separated families should be held on Mount Kumgang instead of Panmunjom and also suggested to hold working-level talks on resumption of Mount Kumgang tours on August 22, Yonhap cited statement of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea as saying.

In response, spokesman of ROK's Ministry of Unification told a briefing that "South Korean government thinks positively of DPRK accepting our talks offer on reunion of separated families."

"But we propose the inter-Korean Red Cross working-level talks on family reunions to be held at the Peace House on the South Korean side of the border village of Panmunjom," he added.

However the spokesman didn't give a clear answer to the DPRK's talks offer on resumption of Mount Kumgang tours on August 22. " ROK government will announce its stance later after discussing it," he told reporters.

ROK on Friday proposed holding inter-korean talks on family reunion on August 23 at Panmunjom, where the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement was signed.

This proposal came a day after ROK's President Park Geun-hye called for such talks in her speech marking the country's National Liberation Day. She said that she hoped the DPRK will be able to work together to make the reunion of the separated families possible around the time of the upcoming Chuseok holidays.

Chuseok is one of the most important traditional festivals in ROK.