S. Korea urges DPRK to respond to dialogue offer on humanitarian issues

South Korea's newly-elected Red Cross society chief on Friday re-urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to respond to Seoul's earlier dialogue offer to discuss humanitarian issues between the two sides.

Park Kyung-seo, chairman of the Korean Red Cross Society, said in his inaugural speech that he sincerely hoped to have talks rapidly with the DPRK's Red Cross.

He was elected on Aug. 8 to lead the organization and received a final approval Wednesday from President Moon Jae-in.

The Red Cross bodies of the two Koreas had acted as a channel for dialogue on humanitarian issues, including the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Moon government offered in July to hold Red Cross talks with the DPRK, which has been mum about the offer.

The South Korean Red Cross head said the Red Cross societies of the two Koreas shared an experience of opening inter-Koreans talks and building trust with the humanitarian spirit.

He added it would be a historical mission for the two Red Cross bodies to open a new era of peaceful coexistence without any threat of war by resuming dialogue.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)