"Please raise our son well and enlarge your mind," Oh told his wife as bid her farewell, stretching his arm out of the bus window to grasp her hand.
According to The Associated Press, Oh was 17 and Lee was 19 when they married in 1949. Just seven months later, they were separated during the war. Lee was reportedly pregnant with their son, Jang-kyun, at the time.
Advertisement
During their meeting, Oh told his wife that he's never stopped thinking about her. Lee, who never remarried, shared a similar sentiment with her husband.
"I can't tell how much I missed you," she said, according to the Sydney Morning-Herald. "I have wept so much thinking of us that there are no tears left in me."
Countless other emotional moments and heartbreaking stories occurred during this week’s reunion event, which was organized by the Red Cross.
In one poignant photograph, seen above, 68-year-old Lee Jeong-suk is pictured wiping the tears of her North Korean father. According to AP, the 88-year-old dad was speechless as he gazed at his daughter. "He wept in silence as his daughter touched his face," the news outlet said.
Advertisement
The Guardian shared the story of another couple who was reunited after being separated for 65 years. Lee Ok-yeon, an 88-year-old South Korean woman, has reportedly been living in the same house her husband built decades ago. Her grandson said that Lee had "asked whether it was a dream or a reality" when she was told she would get to see her husband again.
Reunions between North and South Korean family members are extremely rare. Only 20 such meetings have been organized since 2000, and only a fraction of people who apply to attend them actually get the chance.
To date, 130,000 people have reportedly applied to participate in the reunions. About half, however, have already died.
Advertisement
Such meetings represent a once-in-a-lifetime chance for people to connect with their loved ones from across the border. Phone and mail services between the two Koreas remain forbidden.
Also on HuffPost:
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.