Seoul—Nearly 2,000 South Koreans separated from their families during the Korean War have died this year without a chance to reunite with their loved ones in North Korea, intensifying the urgency around humanitarian issues on the peninsula.

According to the Philippines News Agency, government data released Sunday by the unification ministry revealed that 1,961 applicants for government-arranged reunions passed away between January and August. This brings the total number of deceased separated family members to 96,352 since the end of the Korean War in 1953. As of August's end, 134,160 individuals had registered for these reunion events, but only 37,806 survivors remain, with 66.5% aged 80 or older.

The reunions have been a poignant issue, with no exchanges between separated families at either government or civilian levels for over a year due to strained inter-Korean relations. Since the inaugural inter-Korean summit in 2000, 21 rounds of family reunions have been conducted, with the last such event taking place in August 2018. These reunions have since been paused amidst ongoing diplomatic tensions.

To acknowledge the deep emotional impact of separation, the South Korean government has planned a ceremony to mark the second Separated Families Day, a day designated last year on August 13 of the lunar calendar. This date aligns with the Chuseok fall harvest holiday, reflecting the families' hopes to reunite during one of the country’s largest traditional celebrations.