North and South Korea reach rare agreement on family reunion event

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/14/north-and-south-korea-reach-rare-agreement-on-family-reunion-event/



North and South Korea reach rare agreement on family reunion event
By Agence France-Presse
Friday, February 14, 2014 17:39 EST

Rare talks between the rival Koreas ended on an even rarer note of agreement Friday, allowing an under-threat reunion for divided families to go ahead and fuelling hopes of further constructive engagement.

The agreement pointed to a significant concession by North Korea which had strenuously objected to annual South Korean-US military drills that would overlap with the February 20-25 reunion for family members separated by the Korean War.

The North had pushed the South to postpone the start of the exercises, but Seoul refused, insisting that the two issues — one humanitarian and one military — could not be linked.

“Agreement was reached after North Korea accepted our position that the family reunion event is important… as the first step to build trust” said South Korea’s chief delegate Kim Kyou-Hyun.