The Guardian

‘Still brothers’: seven decades of separation fails to fray South Korean family ties

Lee Su-nam says time has made his 86-year-old brother’s memory fade but that ‘everyone is still family’
South Korean Lee Su-nam on his way to meet his brother Lee Jeong-song in North Korea. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

The moment Lee Su-nam walked into an ornate hotel ballroom in North Korea and laid eyes on his brother for the first time in almost 70 years, he was filled with bittersweet emotions. It was a joyous reunion, but he struggled to recognise the man across from him, and will likely never see him again.

The two men wept and embraced, but both were at a loss for

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Guardian

The Guardian4 min read
‘Perfect Linearity’: Why Botticelli’s Drawing Abilities Remain One-of-a-kind
Throughout the Renaissance, drawings became an integral part of the massive paintings and frescoes that have long been associated with that period. Among other things, they were a way for artists to get a feel for how to arrange the space of a compos
The Guardian7 min read
Gwyneth Paltrow: Is Her Life A Work Of Performance Art?
Ripping to shreds Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop gift list has been a media preoccupation for years now, to the point that the website even titles it, “The ridiculous but awesome gift guide”. Still, even those not driven by well-documented animus towards Pal
The Guardian8 min read
PinkPantheress: ‘I Don’t Think I’m Very Brandable. I Dress Weird. I’m Shy’
PinkPantheress no longer cares what people think of her. When she released her lo-fi breakout tracks Break it Off and Pain on TikTok in early 2021, aged just 19, she did so anonymously, partly out of fear of being judged. Now, almost three years late

Related Books & Audiobooks