Mick Hartley

Reunions between families caught on different sides of the divide after the Korean War have a fraught history, with the North usually demanding large handouts from the South before agreeing to them. Now we're getting a glimpse of the preparation that goes on beforehand:

North Korea has apparently called together about 200 people for indoctrination classes to prepare them for a reunion with their relatives from South Korea. The regime usually starts these preparations two or three months before it puts an official proposal to the South to hold another family reunion. 

According to Choi Sung-yong of activist group Family Assembly Abducted to North Korea, the group were told by regional police stations late last month to travel to their provincial capitals for indoctrination classes since there will be a reunion "soon." Choi keeps in touch with many families who were separated by the Korean War. 

"I've been told the same story by different sources in Chongjin in North Hamgyong Province, Sariwon in North Hwanghae Province, and Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province," Choi said. "Since early this month, an ideological indoctrination program has been underway in provincial capitals." 

The candidates have the greatness of the regime drilled into them and are trained how to behave at the reunion. 

The regime normally selects 100 of the 200 candidates and puts them up in a hotel in Pyongyang for another indoctrination session two or three weeks prior to an actual reunion. There they are reportedly given three meals a day plus vitamin supplements to make them look presentable….

It seems certain that the regime will then demand massive aid through the Red Cross in return for permitting the reunions.

Rumours of this "fattening up" process appeared via Wikileaks last year.