Summary of inter-Korean news this week
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.
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Gov't to offer separated families VR tours of hometowns in N. Korea
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is working on a project to create virtual reality (VR) content to offer families, torn apart by the 1950-53 Korean War, virtual journeys back to their hometowns in North Korea, officials said Sunday.
Commissioned by the unification ministry, the Korean Red Cross is carrying out the project aimed at allowing separated families to virtually experience journeys from South Korea to their hometowns in the North and visit their neighbors by using cutting-edge graphics and videos, officials said.
"As the separated families are aging rapidly and there are not enough opportunities for reunions, we decided to push ahead with this project using cutting-edge technology to offer them consolation," a unification ministry official said.
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Mutually beneficial inter-Korean ties will help accelerate peace and nuclear talks: minister
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- Mutually beneficial inter-Korean relations will help move the stalled denuclearization talks forward, the unification minister said Monday, calling for the two Koreas to take the lead in achieving "complete, verifiable and irreversible peace."
Unification Minister Lee In-young made the remarks in his online speech for the Korean Global Forum for Peace, an annual forum organized by his office, stressing that he will push for cooperation with the North in public health and other areas beneficial to the two Koreas.
"The South and the North will find the possibility of living together in a single community again through mutually beneficial cooperation," Lee told the forum livestreamed through YouTube. "I believe that would accelerate progress in the peace process on the Korean Peninsula and a big trend of dialogue on denuclearization between the North and the U.S."
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UNESCO reiterates support for Moon's plan to list DMZ as World Heritage site
SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday reiterated its support for South Korean President Moon Jae-in's plan to list the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a World Heritage site.
Firmin Edouard Matoko, assistant director-general for Priority Africa and External Relations of UNESCO, made the remarks in an online special message for the Korea Global Forum for Peace, an annual forum organized by Seoul's unification ministry.
"UNESCO is committed to pursuing a true diplomacy of heritage in the service of peace. The organization reiterates its support for President Moon Jae-in's ideas to work together with the DPRK to inscribe the DMZ area as a UNESCO World Heritage site," he said.
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(URGENT) S. Korea's science minister confirms space rocket Nuri's launch success
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Three indicted in massive stock manipulation case
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(3rd LD) Passenger opens door of Asiana Airlines plane before landing at Daegu airport
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BTS' J-Hope completes basic training for military service
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(6th LD) S. Korea successfully launches space rocket Nuri in major milestone for space program
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N. Korea's aircraft maintenance activity at 'unusual' level: 38 North
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(LEAD) Asiana Airlines plane's door opens right before landing at Daegu Airport
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S. Korea to send delegation to Europe for talks on stronger economic, biz ties
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(2nd LD) S. Korean experts to inspect radioactive water storage tanks, purification system at Fukushima plant
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(2nd LD) S. Korean experts begin on-site inspection of Fukushima nuclear plant
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(LEAD) Asiana Airlines plane's door opens right before landing at Daegu Airport
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Man who opened plane door says he wanted to get off quickly: police
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(3rd LD) Passenger opens door of Asiana Airlines plane before landing at Daegu airport
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Tokyo court rejects families' request for removal of Koreans' names listed in Yasukuni Shrine
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Asiana Airlines plane's door opens right before landing at Daegu Airport