Delegations from the two Koreas are set to meet once again today for Red Cross talks.<br />Top of the agenda is arranging reunions of separated families,... but other humanitarian issues could be discussed as well.<br />Let's connect to our Unification Ministry correspondent, Oh Jung-hee,... who's following the story at Seoul's Office for Inter-Korean Dialogue.<br />Jung-hee, what can you tell us?<br /><br /> Good morning, Mark.<br />Like you mentioned,... the two Koreas are holding their Red Cross Talks today.<br />They are going to meet at North Korea's Mount Kumgang... to discuss humanitarian issues including the reunions of families separated by the Korean War.<br /> South Korea is sending a four-member delegation led by the President of the South Korean Red Cross, Park Kyung-seo.<br /> North Korea sent the list of its delegates early this morning -- the delegation has three members and is led by Pak Yong-il, the vice chairman of the North's reunification committee.<br /> The South Korean delegation left Seoul yesterday afternoon.<br />They spent the night in the northeastern county of Goseong in Gangwon-do Province... and will cross the inter-Korean land border at 8:20 AM... so in around 80 minutes from now.<br />Take a look at what the South Korean delegation had to say upon their departure:<br /><br /> "I hope to have good discussions with the North on humanitarian issues -- especially resolving the sorrow of over 57-thousand separated family members in South Korea."<br /><br /> So Jung-hee, we can take from that comment... that setting up these family reunions is going to be the main agenda at today's talks.... <br /><br /> You're right.<br />The main agenda on the table is setting the schedules for the family reunions.<br /> The leaders of Seoul and Pyongyang agreed at their summit talks in April to hold reunions for separated families on August 15th -- National Liberation Day.<br /> If the reunion event is to take place, this will be the first time in three years since the last event in October 2015.<br /> Over 132-thousand people are registered as separated from their family members... but among them, only 56-thousand are still alive... and among those, 85-percent are over 70 years old.<br /> South Korea is likely to suggest that the North allow separated family members to exchange letters and visit their hometowns,... but it's unclear whether Pyongyang will accept the proposal.<br /> We also can't rule out the possibility of delegations discussing some other humanitarian issues at today's talks -- like releasing South Korean detainees in the North... and Seoul providing humanitarian assistance to Pyongyang through the World Food Programme and UNICEF.<br />Mark. <br />
