South Korea proposes regular family reunions with North

A visitor (L) looks towards the north through a pair of binoculars near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, 55 km (34 miles) north of Seoul January 31, 2014, on the occasion of Seolnal, the Korean Lunar New Year's day. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Park Geun-hye made a formal proposal to North Korea on Saturday to hold family reunions regularly, uniting families separated since the 1950-53 Korean war, a sign Seoul is seeking to improve relations with the North.

The reunions used to be held roughly annually, but until this February had not taken place since 2010 when tensions between the two Koreas spiralled after the South said the North sank one of its naval vessels.