In a closed room, all that one could see were people hugging each other tightly, releasing out cries of joy or holding out old photographs beside one another. To almost everyone in the room, now was the time for happiness. Separated for about sixty years, this was the first time ever since to come across with one another. While everyone else enjoyed their hours of reunifying with their loved ones, one person was shedding tears, looking into her old photograph and into a young man standing in front of her. Eighty year old Kim Sun Yeon was unable to find her sister she was supposed to meet today at the reunion, instead was faced with the news of her sister’s death from her sister’s son. If the reunion took place several months ago as it was supposed to, Kim would’ve been able to reunite with her sister.

Following the division of Korean peninsula in 1945, thousands of Koreans had to be separated from their loved ones and have not come across with each other ever since. Taking these separated family members’ desperate wishes of reunion into consideration, the two Korean governments agreed on holding periodical reunions between the separated families. This emotional and humane event, however, later took on the form of a political threat between the two countries, completely losing its purpose of reuniting the families. It is now crucial for both Korean governments to cooperate with each other to hold more family reunions, rather than to force their political beliefs upon this intractable issue.

North Korea has demonstrated its political strategy during the supposed family reunion in September 2013. By then, the reunion involved about 100 families from each country. However, North Korea decided to cancel the reunion just four days before the scheduled date, justifying their action by stating how “it does not make sense to carry out the reunion of families who were separated due to the war during the dangerous nuclear war practice” (CNN, 6 Feb 2014). What the North referred to as the “nuclear war practice” was the annual U.S.-South Korea joint military drill.

President Park of South Korea  has maintained a tough stance on North Korea. Under her new policy of “trustpolitik,” Park has announced “rewards” for North Korea only if it takes actions that earn South Korea’s trust and appreciation. For example, even when North Korea demanded the South Korean government to stop the joint military drill with the U.S, Park continued the scheduled drill.

With both countries insisting on continuing their strategies concerning family reunions – the North using them as  a bargaining tool and the South never seeking to cooperate with the North – it has become nearly impossible to hold stable family reunions in the future.

Given this situation, the two governments should cooperate with each other to find a middle ground, a solution that both Koreas can agree on. In order to do so, North Korea must see the humanitarian and emotional side of the issue. For South Korea, President Park should take a softer stance. If the current tension between the two countries continues, there may be no additional reunions.

Although the Korean Peninsula remains divided, the bond and relationship the people share across the border should not be ignored. Both governments must find a way to cooperate with each other and address this urgent need for the benefit of their own people. If both take action to instill greater trust in each other, then a “peaceful ending” between the two countries – something everyone is looking forward to – may even be possible in the near future.

I. Kim