Number of South Koreans with separated North Korean family members falls below 33,000, most over 80

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- The number of South Koreans with family members in North Korea following their separation during the 1950-53 Korean War continues to drop, with less than 33,000 now remaining and the majority of them already aged over 80 years, data showed Sunday.

As of late August, a total of 134,848 people have registered as having separated family members in the North, but only 32,948 of them were still living, according to the data from the unification ministry submitted to Rep. Woo Won-shik of the ruling Democratic Party.

Of the survivors, two-thirds were aged 80 and older -- 10,945 aged 80 to 89 and 11,007 aged 90 and older. Around 3,000 people with family in the North die every year, the data showed.

"As not much time remains for separated families, the unification ministry must start preparing now so that inter-Korean dialogue can be discussed as a priority agenda item in the event talks resume between North Korea and the United States," said Woo, who himself has family in the North.

The war left many people separated from their families, but ongoing inter-Korean tensions have made reunions difficult. The last time South Korea hosted reunions for separated families was in August 2018.