In this photo released by South Korean Unification Ministry, head of South Korean working-level delegation Lee Duk-haeng, center right, shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Park Yong Il, center left, during their meeting at Tongilgak in the North Korean side of Panmunjom which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014. Red Cross delegates from the rival Koreas begun talks Wednesday on holding reunions of families separated since the Korean War ended in the early 1950s. (AP Photo/South Korean Unification Ministry)
February 04, 2014 - 10:13 PM
SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea says it and North Korea have agreed to hold the first reunions of war-divided families in more than three years later this month.
The planned Feb. 20-25 reunions coincide with the expected start of South Korea-U.S. annual springtime military drills that North Korea calls a rehearsal for a northward invasion. The allies call the training defensive.
North Korea scrapped previously scheduled reunions at the last minute in September after accusing South Korea of preparing war drills and other hostile acts.
Seoul's Unification Ministry says the latest agreement was reached during a border meeting between Red Cross delegates from the Koreas on Wednesday. It gave no further details.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014