Community | August 17, 2009 | 11 comments

North Korea agrees to lift border restrictions with South

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/17/north-korea-border-restrictions-eased

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North Korea agreed to lift border restrictions with the South in the latest indication that it is seeking conciliation with its neighbour and the US after almost 18 months of rising tensions.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said it would restart reunions of separated families before this year's annual Chuseok harvest holiday in early October – one of the biggest traditional festivals – and allow tourism ventures to operate to the scenic Diamond Mountain resort and ancient site of Kaesong. They were suspended last year following the inauguration of the South's president Lee Myung-bak, who ended his predecessor's "sunshine policy" of freeflowing aid to the North.

The self-imposed blockade has cut off vital sources of income for the impoverished country. Its lifting also suggests the North may be moving back towards diplomatic engagement after a nuclear test and missile launches which were widely seen as aiming to grab the US administration's attention.
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