S. Korea still waiting for N. Korea to accept offer of talks on separated families: official

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will continue to wait for a response from North Korea to its recent proposal to hold talks on the issue of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, an official at Seoul's unification ministry said Thursday.

Last Thursday, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se publicly made the offer, stressing the urgency of resolving the matter, as many of those with family members across the border are in their 80s and 90s. The North has so far remained silent on the proposal.

Speaking to reporters on background, the ministry official said the government does not regard Pyongyang as having rejected the offer.

"North Korea has not expressed its position via official news outlets to reject it," the official said.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)