Date: Monday, July30, 2012
Time: 10:30~10:35
1. Minister’s Schedule
Minister Yu Woo-ik will be on vacation from July 30th to August 3rd.
2. 'Basic Plan on the Promotion of Information and Exchanges between Separated Families'
The 'Act on Promotion of Information and Exchanges between Separated Families of North and South Korea' was passed in March 2009 and the Ministry of Unification established the 'Basic Plan on the Promotion of Information and Exchanges between Separated Families.' The basic plan is drawn once every three years taking into account the previous year's survey results on the status of separated families and advices of related government entities and organizations. This year's basic plan is the first of its kind since the introduction of the act.
The government will do its utmost to solve fundamental problems regarding separated families through the following efforts;
- restore inter-Korean Red Cross talks and inter-government communication channel thereby promoting exchanges of information and letters between the separated families of both sides, as well as holding reunion meetings on a regular basis,
- support reunion meetings and information exchanges of separated families in the private-sector by establishing 'exchanges support fund,'
- and prepare for large-scale exchanges as well as exchanges even after the death of the members of the separated families.
In the meantime, considering the urgency of the matter, the government will seek to tackle issues related to separated families regardless of the inter-Korean relations starting from this year.
