Were You Aware War Torn Korean Families Separated for Decades Were Reunite for 72 Hours?

There was a slight catch... "South Korea uses a computerized lottery system to pick participants, while North Korea reportedly chooses based on loyalty to its authoritarian leadership."

South Koreans were reunited with their North Korean relatives during a three day event in North Korea this week. Nearly 400 South Koreans crossed the heavily armed border into North Korea on Tuesday to be reunited, in an outpouring of emotions and tears, with family members separated since the 1950-53 Korean War nearly six decades ago. The reunions, the first since February of last year, are a poignant yet bitter reminder that the Korean Peninsula is still in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 fighting ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The Korea's bar ordinary citizens from visiting relatives living on the other side of the border and even from exchanging letters, phone calls and emails without government permission. South Korea uses a computerized lottery system to pick participants while North Korea reportedly chooses based on loyalty to its authoritarian leadership. The reunions, held in a ballroom at the resort, were watched by officials and media. The families had only two hours of private time together, Reuters reported. Most people who applied for the reunion are in their 70s or older and are desperate to see their loved ones before they die. Nearly half of the 130,410 South Koreans who have applied to attend a reunion have died. South Korean participants are advised to steer clear of a long list of topics, such as the North's political leadership or living standards, to the frustration of some of the visitors, Reuters reported. Seoul has long called for drastically increasing the number of people taking part in reunions and holding them more regularly. North Korea, which often uses reunions as a bargaining chip in negotiations with South Korea, is worried about more reunions leading to the country being influenced by the more affluent South and undermining its grip on power.