NPAD calls for expansion in scope of family reunions

The main opposition party leader Rep. Moon Jae-in on Wednesday urged the government to broaden the scope of reunions for separated families following the two Koreas’ agreement to resume the event.

The New Politics Alliance for Democracy chairman said during a party meeting that the reunion list should include more than 1,000 members of separated families, as more of them are passing away without having the opportunity to see their loved ones.

His proposal came a day after the two Koreas’ agreement to defuse the latest cross-border military tensions and improve inter-Korean relations. Both sides agreed to push for the reunion to coincide with Chuseok, the national thanksgiving holiday, and hold working-level talks beforehand.

“Now is the time for us to implement what South and North Korea agreed upon,” said Moon. “First, we should hold the reunion on a massive scale. Half of those who applied for the reunion have already passed away.”

The reunions have been held sporadically, with last year’s event on Mount Geumgangsan being the first in four years.

Applicants in their 70s account for about 80 percent of the separated, which means at least 6,600 people should meet every year to see their loved ones within their lifetime, Moon said. He urged the government to reach a deal with the North to include at least 1,000 people in the upcoming reunion list.

The proposal came as part of Moon’s four initiatives, which included calls for the government to resume inter-Korea business, expand civilian exchanges and honor former inter-Korean agreements from the former Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung administrations.

Moon has been shifting his policy platform to national security and foreign affairs in recent weeks as he seeks to reinforce his wavering leadership and his party’s low approval ratings.

On the same day, Moon met with the U.S. and Chinese ambassadors to Korea, Mark Lippert and Qiu Guohong, to discuss ways to improve inter-Korea relations and address North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

“The task we must address to normalize relations with the North is how to solve North Korea’s nuclear development. I believe that prompt resumption of six-party talks is the most viable option. I’d like to ask China to play a crucial role in resuming the talks,” NPAD spokesman Rep. Kim Sung-soo quoted Moon as saying.

The Chinese ambassador was also quoted as saying that he echoed Moon’s call and highlighted collective efforts to achieve denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Qiu reportedly said Chinese senior officials would discuss the issue during Moon’s scheduled visit to China in mid-October. 

Moon announced Tuesday he would visit China to attend the International Conference of Asian Political Parties, a regional meeting between lawmakers in Asia and senior Chinese officials. The conference will take place from Oct. 14-16.

By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)