Amid a huge outpouring of emotion, 200 Koreans from either side of the divided peninsula's Cold War frontier yesterday met relatives they had not seen for 50 years.
After a five-hour delay caused by fog at Pyongyang airport, a special flight took 100 mainly elderly South Koreans to the North Korean capital and brought back 100 people to meet relatives in the South.
All had been waiting for news of long-lost fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters since the 1950-1953 Korean War. For most, the pain of five decades of separation was too much.
"Mother, it's me. Can you recognise me? It's your son," said Mr Shin Dong-Gil (75) as he met his 100-year-old mother, Mrs Yu Du-Hee, at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang in front of South Korean television cameras.
The two hugged, and Mrs Yu wept uncontrollably as Mr Shin, who was forced into the communist North's army at the start of the war, introduced his wife for the first time.
There were similar tearful scenes as other relatives met in the second reunions since a historic summit between the leaders of the two Koreas in June.
Mr Kim Chul-Kwang's daughter released five decades of frustration in a few minutes almost as soon as she saw him. "Daddy, Daddy, why did you leave us?" cried the woman as she beat her father's chest in anguish. "Why did you come back so late? It has been 50 years since you left."
Mr Kim (88) was one of an estimated 1.2 million people to flee the North during the Korean War. Many left behind wives and remarried in the South. Fifteen of the South Korean men returned to Pyongyang to see their first wives.
The North Koreans marched into a Seoul hotel to a standing ovation and a song about separated families before more tearful embraces. After two hours together, the North Koreans were taken back to their hotel by their Pyongyang government minders. They will be allowed private meetings today.
South Korea has given priority to elderly people and held a computer lottery to select participants. The North chose many of its delegation from its communist elite.