SEOUL — The Korea National Red Cross (KNRC) Nov. 13 finalized the list of 100 separated family members who will visit Pyongyang for the second round of inter-Korean family reunions from Nov. 30-Dec. 2.
"At the screening committee meeting held Nov. 14, we chose the final 100 from the 124 whose kin were confirmed to be alive in North Korea," said a KNRC spokesman.
All 99 candidates who have direct family members such as spouses or children in the North have been chosen. The list of 100 also breaks down to 26 women and 74 men, with an average age of 78. All all but one are aged over 69.
Yu Tu-hi, a 100-year0-old Kangwon-do resident is the oldest. She will meet her son Sin Tong-kil, 59, in Pyongyang.
Also included this time is U Won-hyong, 65, who prior to the August reunion gave up his chance to go to North Korea for Chang I-yun, 72, whose 109-year-old mother was confirmed to be alive. It was later found out that this was a mistake.
On the North’s list of 100, some individuals who were included in the initial list of 200 for the August reunions but were later left out of the final 100, are also likely to be chosen, the North revealed during a meeting of liaison officers at the truce village of Panmunjom on Nov. 10.
One person expected to be included is Kim Yong-hwang, 70, a professor from Kim Il-sung University, along with other prominent scholars and high-ranking government figures.
On Nov. 18, the two Koreas will exchange the final lists of family members, accompanying personnel and journalists, and sign papers to ensure their safe passage across the border.
South Korean officials say that this time they will streamline the whole process and cut the costs, following criticism that the Aug. 15-18 reunion was extremely costly. According to official estimates, the total spent amounted to around 1.9 billion won in the South alone.
"We will increase the amount of time families will spend together, and cut down on unnecessary excursions or big dinners," a Unification Ministry official said.
Instead of a luxury hotel, the Seoul government plans to accommodate North Korean delegates at a lower-grade hotel.
This time, the Seoul government will not subsidize the South Korean family members, except for the very poor, who will receive half the total cost of their stay in Seoul and Pyongyang.
Details of the reunion will also be discussed during the Nov. 18 meeting of the Red Cross societies of South and North Korea.