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South Korean president suggests resuming meetings of War-divided families

Park Geun-hye also suggested the DPRK authorities to establish a Park of Peace in the Demilitarized Zone

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

SEOUL, August 15 (Itar-Tass) - President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Thursday suggested the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to resume meetings between families divided by the Korean War of 1950-1953. She spoke about that in her address to the country's population on the occasion of the State holiday - the Day of Liberation of Korea by Soviet and American troops from Japanese militarists.

Park Geun-hye also suggested the DPRK authorities to establish a Park of Peace in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides the two countries. The DMZ is believed to be the world's most heavily guarded border.

These initiatives have been proposed by Seoul after the North and South agreed Wednesday to resume the operation of the inter-Korean industrial park in the border city of Kaesong (DPRK).

"I hope that the accords reached will help rectify the errors of the past inter-Korean relations and open up the way to new relations of co-existence. I hope to secure the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and implement the joint projects of the North and South through building confidence," the South Korean president emphasized.

In her speech on the occasion of the holiday, the Yonhap news agency reports, the President of ROK also addressed to Japan which, in her view, must draw lessons from history and take "responsible and sincere" steps with regard to the victims of its war crimes.

This refers to Korean females and women from other Asian countries whom the Japanese colonial authorities forced to serve their soldiers and officers in military brothels.

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