Starting Monday, South and North Korea will be holding reunions for families separated by the Korean War.<br />This is the first time they've held reunions in nearly three years, and they'll take place for a full week at North Korea's Mount Kumgang.<br />The South Koreans who'll be attending have gathered in the northeastern city of Sokcho before they cross the border.<br />Our unification ministry correspondent, Oh Jung-hee, is on the ground in Sokcho.<br />Jung-hee, how's the atmosphere there?<br /><br /> Jiyeon, all the South Korean participants due to meet their relatives in North Korea have gathered here at Hanwha Resorts in the city of Sokcho.<br />They registered themselves as participants and were told about the do's and don'ts while they're in the North.<br /><br /> I'll be their first face-to-face with their relatives in the North after nearly 70 years of separation and no contact,... so we asked some of the families how they're feeling ahead of the reunions.<br />Some were very excited, even shouting for joy to have found their long-lost loved ones,... but most of them were generally very calm -- having lived with this situation for so many decades already.<br /> Bear in mind, because nearly 7 decades have passed since the Korean War, many of the reunions are not between immediate family members, but between the closest relatives.<br />Participants who're lucky enough to meet members of their immediate family -- like sons, daughters or siblings -- their feelings seem to be very complex.<br /> Those who aren't... mostly said they want to share memories with their North Korean relatives... about the family members they do share.<br /> Take a listen to what a couple of participants told us.<br /><br /> "I just found out that my son's alive. I'm wondering how and by whom he was raised -- he's 71 now. I'm going to ask him, 'how did you live? Who raised you?'"<br /><br /> "I want to ask them where our parents' graves are. And I want to know more about their families, too."<br /><br /> This evening, medical staff will be checking on their health once again, since all the participants are of an advanced age.<br />They'll spend the night here and cross the military demarcation line tomorrow morning through the eastern inter-Korean transit office located in the nearby city of Goseong.<br /> We will be following the families throughout the rest of the day and bring you more about it in our newscasts on Monday. Jiyeon. <br />
