By Joint Press Corps and Staff Reporter Yoo Dong-ho

MT. KUMGANG - Family members separated by the Korean War (1950-1953) were reunited on Monday with their long-lost North Korean kin during the ninth round of inter-Korean family reunions held in the mountain resort in North Korea.

A total of 147 South Koreans met 494 North Korean kin at the Kim Jong-suk Recreation House, named after the mother of Kim Jong-il, North Korea’s head of state.

A 96-year-old South Korean woman Kim Ok-jun, the oldest among the South Korean delegate, met her 38-year-old grandson Kim Shin-myong, who bears much resemblance to her late daughter Cho Yang-sun.

Kim is among 453 South Korean family members who crossed the heavily fortified border on an overland route along the eastern coast to participate in the the three-day visit.

Cho, who was only 17 years old when her mother left her behind in the North right after the war broke out in 1950, already passed away.

A 74-year-old South Korean Yoo Chang-kun met his 71-year-old brother Yoo Song-kun who was allegedly kidnapped by the North in 1971 while he was serving as a diplomat at the South Korean embassy to then West Germany. ``Is it really you?’’ senior Yoo murmured in words of pained regret to his brother, with tears welling up in his eyes.

Another South Korean man Park Ik-chan, 81, had a tearful reunion with his 76-year-old wife and 56-year-old daughter.

They tried to bridge the half-century gap as they attended the 9th round of inter-Korean family reunions in Kumgang Mountain.

Of the South’s 147 separated family members, five of them are in their 90s, 39 are in their 70s and 49 are in their 80s. Of the North’s 236 members, 3 are in their 80s, while 33 are in their 70s.

After partaking in a welcome dinner hosted by the North, the South Koreans went back to their quarters at Haekumgang Hotel in the South Korean part of the resort. As before, spending the night with family was not permitted.

Individual reunions will continue throughout today in the South Koreans’ rooms at the floating Haegumgang Hotel, before families will have to bid farewell tomorrow, not knowing if and when they will meet again.

Another group of 494 South Koreans will pay a visit to Mt. Kumgang to be temporarily reunited with their family members from the North starting Wednesday.

The family reunions have been the most outstanding outcome of the landmark inter-Korean summit in June 2000 in Pyongyang, when former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

The family reunions are so emotionally charged because direct communication among family members broken by the border is not allowed by citizens of either country.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr