A private reunion of separated families has reportedly taken place for the first time in five years.
According to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, on Tuesday, an 80-year-old Korean-Australian citizen residing in Australia visited North Korea last October and was reunited with two of their nephews. The individual, who holds dual citizenship, reported the reunion to the Ministry of Unification after returning from North Korea. This marks the first known private reunion of separated families in five years, following a similar case in 2019.
Details on how the individual obtained approval from North Korean authorities remain unclear. However, it is speculated that the reunion may have been facilitated by the Korean Federation of Residents in Australia, an organization active in exchanges with North Korea.
Under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act and its enforcement decree, South Korean residents must obtain prior approval from the Minister of Unification to visit North Korea. However, individuals with long-term residency status, such as permanent residents or those employed by foreign-based companies, may report their visit three days before departure or within ten days of returning.
The Ministry of Unification reported that the last reunion of separated families arranged through intergovernmental discussions between South and North Korea took place in August 2018. Since the 2010s, most private reunions have occurred in third countries, with the last known direct visit to North Korea for a reunion recorded in 2016.
The Ministry also noted that there may have been unreported reunions, as some individuals could have met in third countries without notifying the government afterward.
A Ministry official stated, “Even after North Korea reopened its borders in September last year, visits by foreigners remain highly restricted, making the entry of a South Korean separated family member unusual.” The official added, “However, interpreting this as a signal of a policy shift by North Korean authorities would be an overreach.”