UPDATE 3 (2014-12-16): A documentary has been made about the Hong family reunion. You can see it here.
UPDATE 2: I added video of the family reunion to Youtube. You can see it here.
UPDATE 1 (2008-8-5): Herald Tribune/Joong Ang have update and photo of reunion.
In February 2007 the Joong Ang Daily reported the sad story of Renate Hong, and East German citizen who married a North Korean student at Jena University named Hong Ok-geun. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. Hong was called back to the DPRK in 1961, and the couple eventually lost touch.
Early last year, North Korea verified that Mr. Hong was still alive in Hamhung, though remarried and with a new family. Ms. Hong, still in Germany with two children born of the short relationship, never remarried.
The couple was finally able to exchange letters with the help of German authorities. When the first arrived from Mr. Hong, it was the first time in 44 years that Renate had heard from her husband since her last letter came back with an “address unknown” stamp in 1963.
The DPRK government initially denied requests for a reunion, but this week the couple, as well as their children, were allowed to meet in Pyongyang. According to the Hong family and diplomatic sources in Germany, Renate Hong, 71, and her two sons arrived in Pyongyang on July 25. This will be the first time the two sons, now 47 and 48, will see their father.
Read more here:
Joong Ang Daily
Ryu Kwon-ha
2/13/2007
North Korea allows a separated couple to reunite after 47 years
Joong Ang Daily
Ryu Kwon-Ha and Ser Myo-ja
8/5/2008
German travels to NKorea to reunite with husband
Associated Press(Via Huffington Post)
8/5/2008
