North Korea threatens to reconsider family reunions

Eurasia News

PYONGYANG: North Korea on Thursday threatened to reconsider plans with South Korea to resume reunions of families which were separated by the 1950-53 Korean War if Seoul did not cancel its scheduled military exercises with the United States.

“It’s outrageous that (South Korea) is pushing ahead with aggressive war maneuvering at a time when both sides reached a crucial agreement to realize national reconciliation and cooperation,” the North Korean National Defense Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

On Wednesday, an agreement was reached between South Korea and North Korea during a meeting at the Panmunjom border village, allowing separated families to hold brief reunions from February 20 to 25 at the Mount Kumgang resort on North Korea’s east coast.

“We cannot but reconsider the implementation of an agreement that was already reached as long as there is a continued move to hurt the dignity of our supreme leadership and slander our system,” the statement further said.

According to Pyongyang, annual military exercises between South Korea and the US which are expected to be held later this month are a rehearsal for invasion.