SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) — Hundreds of families from the two Koreas on Saturday met at the DPRK's (朝鲜人民主主义人民共和国) Mount Kumgang resort (度假胜地)in the first government-arranged reunion since the inauguration(就职)of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
Earlier in the day, 96 South Koreans, of whom more than three-quarters were at the age of 70 or older, crossed the inter-Korean border(韩朝边界), heading for the Kumgang resort to meet their families separated by the 1950—1953 Korean War.
Arriving at the DPRK's resort in the afternoon, South Koreans met with their long-separated families at a large-scale gathering at around 3 p.m. local time, and later are to have a dining meeting in the evening.
The separate, personal meetings are planned to be held on Sunday.
The South Korean families will come back home on Monday after the three-day gathering, followed by the second-session reunion event which will last from Tuesday to Thursday.
The reunion, which had become a semi-regular event(半定期举行的活动) since 2000 after a historic inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang(平壤), was suspended(取消)in 2007 with a worsening mood in inter-Korean relations.
Saturday's family meeting, however, came as a result of an agreement reached last month between the DPRK leader Kim Jong-il and Hyun Jeong-eun, chairwoman of South Korea's Hyundai Group.
The recovery of the family meetings is regarded as conveying the DPRK's reconciliatory(和解) intentions, along with the country's recent moves including lifting a ban(解禁) on cross-border traffic to and from the Kaesong Joint Industrial Park, local media said.
About 600,000 South Koreans are believed to have relatives in the DPRK. Ordinary citizens were not allowed to make phone calls, send letters or exchange e-mails across the border.
. Why were there so many families separated according to the passage?
A.Because they were from different countries. |
B.Because of the war which broke out in 1950. |
C.Because of the ban that ordinary citizens were not allowed to cross the border. |
D.Because the different policies between the two countries. |
.. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.It is the first reunion since they were separated. |
B.These separated families haven’t seen their relatives for more than 7 years. |
C.The first day of the reunion fell on a Saturday. |
D.Ordinary citizens are now not allowed to make phone calls, or exchange e-mails across the border. |
. The underlined word “reunion” can be replaced by _______________.
A.living together again |
B.joining together again |
C.reaching an agreement again |
D.meeting together again |
. What’s the best title of this news?
A.South Korean, DPRK families meet in reunion event. |
B.A Special Family Gathering. |
C.The improvement of inter-Korean relations. |
D.A Peaceful Meeting. |