문 대통령 모친, 북에 있는 여동생 재회 못한채 별세... 이산가족 고령화 심각

Kang Han-ok, the mother of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, died on Tuesday at the age of 91.
After quickly wrapping up his official schedule,… President Moon rushed to the hospital to close his mother's eyes,... who long desired for another reunion with her younger sister in North Korea.
Won Jung-hwan tells us more.
President Moon Jae-in's mother died on Tuesday at a hospital in Busan.
Moon and First Lady Kim Jung-sook were present at the time of Kang Han-ok's death,… keeping her warm for a couple of hours just before she passed away.
This is the first time an incumbent South Korean president has suffered the loss of a parent.
Moon's parents were, in fact, refugees from North Korea, who fled their hometown during the Hungnam evacuation in 1950.
Kang, a native of Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province,... is known to be the only member of her family to flee to the South, in doing so, losing contact with her younger sister.
Back in 2004, when Moon was working at the Blue House,... he managed to get her selected for a reunion program,... emotionally escorting his mother to meet her long-lost sister.
Moon also said he would love to escort his mother to her hometown someday.
"I would have no further wish if we could once more visit our old house which is in Hanju county or Hungnam city."
In fact, there are still many separated families in South Korea who die without ever seeing their relatives in the North.
According to data by the Korean Red Cross,… six out of ten South Koreans who applied for reunions have already passed away.
Since 1988,… nearly 80-thousand people who applied for the reunion program have died without realizing their lifelong dream.
And it was reported that more than 300 applicants died in the month of September alone.
Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News.