2nd group of Koreans meet at reunion

A second group of South Koreans have crossed into the North for reunion with their relatives, after decades of separation following the Korean War.

The rare reunion on Sunday came just a day before South Korea is to begin a joint military exercise with the United States, a development that is expected to further fuel tensions between the two Koreas.

The family reunion event, which was held at North Korea’s Mount Kumgang resort, began on February 20 and is to continue until Tuesday.

It is the first reunion event in more than three years for families that were separated by the destructive 1950-53 Korean War.

In the second and last round of the event, 357 South Koreans met 88 of their North Korean relatives Sunday afternoon.

The first group of about 80 South Koreans returned home on Saturday after a tearful reunion with 174 of their relatives in the North.

The much-anticipated event went ahead despite a growing tension over the upcoming military drill.

South Korea and the United States, which has nearly 28,000 troops stationed in the South, will begin their annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle military drill on Monday.

Seoul and Washington describe the maneuvers as defensive in nature but Pyongyang has condemned them as a rehearsal for invading North Korea, which threatened earlier this month to cancel the reunion if Seoul pushed ahead with the drill.

Commentators say North Korea’s concession to go ahead with the reunion event indicates Pyongyang’s interest in improving bilateral ties.