N. Korea¡¯s non-political reunion coverage

Contrary to the past, the North Korean media avoided taking a clear political angle in its coverage of the August 15-18 family reunions. This stands in sharp contrast to the September 1985 family exchanges, when North Korean reports were aired claiming that Seoul should end restrictions on South Korean organizations and leaders interested in contacting the North. The recent coverage of the Liberation Day reunions did not include any scenes of North Korean relatives praising ¡°Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il,¡± which many South Koreans find disconcerting. A South Korean government official noted that pleas for reunification to end the tragedy of separated families were the only political messages found in North Korean news stories.

The North¡¯s coverage was also much more timely than it was 15 years ago. North Korea¡¯s central news agency issued a prompt report on the South Korean visitors¡¯ arrival at Pyongyang Tuesday morning, immediately after reporting the North Korean visitors¡¯ departure to Seoul. 64 year-old North Korean poet laureate Oh Young-Jae¡¯s reading of a poem dedicated to his deceased mother and reunion with his brother were aired on North Korean TV Wednesday afternoon. Pyongyang Broadcasting and other radio stations sent out news of reunited families embracing each other for the first in 50 years and crying with happiness. Newspapers, including the Rodong Shinmun, Minju Choson and Pyongyang Shinmun, carried daily spreads on the reunions.

Government officials in Seoul said it was an encouraging sign that the North Korean media, often referred to as a propaganda weapon, has noticeably cut down on its denouncement of South Korea since the June summit talks.