South Korean President Lee urges North Korea to resume humanitarian family reunions

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called on North Korea to resume humanitarian engagements, specifically family reunions for those separated by the Korean War, as a step toward easing tensions on the divided peninsula. Lee emphasized the importance of allowing separated families to confirm the fate of their relatives and exchange letters, highlighting the humanitarian need despite ongoing political and military conflicts. These reunions, last held in 2018, have been a rare channel for inter-Korean cooperation and emotional closure for millions of divided families. Despite Lee's olive branch, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un maintains a hostile stance toward South Korea, labeling inter-Korean relations as those between "two states hostile to each other" and rejecting reconciliation efforts. The inter-Korean border remains heavily fortified with no direct communication between ordinary citizens, underscoring the difficulties in restarting such family reunions. Lee's appeal coincides with the Chuseok holiday, a traditional time for family gatherings, underscoring the emotional and symbolic significance of these reunions for the Korean people.