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S. Korean Red Cross urges talks with North
August 12, 1996
Web posted at: 12:05 p.m. EDT (1405 GMT)SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- South Korea's Red Cross proposed high-level talks Monday aimed at alleviating hunger in North Korea and reunifying families split apart by the Korean War four decades ago.
"I propose to the North Korean Red Cross that either the presidents or vice presidents of the two organizations meet as soon as possible at any mutually convenient place, with no pre-conditions, to discuss these urgent matters," said Kang Young-hoon, president of South Korea's Red Cross.
Kang said that such talks could help improve relations between the two Koreas, which remain technically at war.
Some 10 million family members have been separated since the war. Talks in the 1980s led to limited exchange visits in 1985, but further talks broke off in 1992 when the two sides could not agree on terms.
The South Korean Red Cross has provided humanitarian aide to North Korea in the wake of devastating floods this summer that caused $1.7 billion in structural and agricultural damage. On Monday, the Red Cross launched its seventh shipment of supplies to North Korea.
Correspondent Sohn Jie-Ae and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related story:
- Floods devastate N. Korean food supplies for second year - Aug 6, 1996
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