The programme of short family reunions has been on hold for two years due to rising tensions between the communist leadership in Pyongyang and the government in Seoul.

Signs that the North Korea was ready to patch up relations with South Korea have increased recently.

At the beginning of last week, North Korea announced that it wanted to ease restrictions for South Korean tourists and divided families.

The Korean War of 1950-53 and the division of the peninsula split tens of thousands of Korean families. Postal, telephone and email contact is generally not possible for them.