Seoul, South Korea – North Korea is demolishing a South Korea-built facility that once hosted reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, the South’s government confirmed on Thursday. The move is the latest in a series of actions taken by Pyongyang to erase symbols of inter-Korean cooperation as relations between the two nations continue to deteriorate.
The 12-storey Reunion Centre for Separated Families, located at the Diamond Mountain (Kumgangsan) resort, was a key site where war-separated relatives from both Koreas could briefly reunite. It featured 206 rooms and banquet halls for meetings and had been used for family reunions since 2009. However, with inter-Korean relations at their lowest point in years, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears determined to dismantle the remnants of past engagement.
Deteriorating relations and growing hostilities
Once a symbol of hope for divided families, the Diamond Mountain resort has become a casualty of North Korea’s growing hostility towards the South. The last family reunion at the facility took place in 2018, during a brief period of diplomacy initiated by Kim. At the time, North Korea sought to use its nuclear programme as leverage for economic concessions from South Korea and the United States.
However, diplomatic talks collapsed in 2019, following a failed summit between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump. North Korea’s demands for sweeping sanctions relief in exchange for only partial nuclear disarmament were rejected by Washington, leading to the breakdown of negotiations. Since then, Pyongyang has cut off virtually all diplomatic contact with Seoul and accelerated its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
Kim has since abandoned the long-standing goal of inter-Korean reconciliation, instead labelling South Korea as a “permanent enemy.” His regime has taken systematic steps to dismantle symbols of cooperation, including the destruction of South Korean-built infrastructure in the North.
South Korea condemns the demolition
South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which oversees inter-Korean relations, confirmed that North Korea had begun tearing down the Reunion Centre. The ministry condemned the move, urging Pyongyang to halt the destruction immediately.
“Demolishing the reunion centre is an inhumane act that tramples on the longing of separated families. It is also a grave violation of our state-owned property,” the ministry said in a statement.
South Korea had previously invested heavily in tourism and engagement projects at Diamond Mountain, viewing them as a pathway to improved relations. However, North Korea has already removed a South Korea-built hotel, golf course, and other tourism facilities at the site.
The Unification Ministry warned that Seoul would consider “necessary countermeasures,” including legal action and international pressure. However, it remains unclear whether South Korea has any effective means to halt North Korea’s actions or seek compensation.
Legal and diplomatic challenges
This is not the first time North Korea has destroyed South Korean-funded infrastructure. In 2020, Pyongyang blew up a joint inter-Korean liaison office located just north of the heavily fortified border. In response, South Korea filed a 44.7 billion won (£26 million) lawsuit against North Korea in 2023, seeking damages for the destruction.
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However, legal action against North Korea remains largely symbolic, as there is no mechanism to enforce compensation or hold Pyongyang accountable in international courts. The South Korean government may attempt to rally diplomatic support, but China and Russia – North Korea’s key allies – have consistently blocked efforts to impose stronger UN sanctions.
The future of separated families
For thousands of Koreans who have long hoped for reunions with relatives across the border, the demolition of the Reunion Centre is a devastating blow.
Since the division of Korea at the end of World War II, millions of families have been separated, with no official communication channels between those in the North and the South. The family reunion programme, which began in 2000, provided rare opportunities for emotional reunions – but with diplomatic ties in ruins, the chances of future meetings appear increasingly slim.
Experts warn that North Korea’s hardening stance suggests an indefinite suspension of all humanitarian exchanges. Kim’s government has made clear that it views South Korea as an adversary rather than a potential partner, and recent actions indicate that engagement efforts may not be revived for the foreseeable future.
Conclusion
As North Korea continues to dismantle inter-Korean symbols, the gap between the two countries grows wider. The demolition of the Reunion Centre at Diamond Mountain represents not only the destruction of a physical structure but also the crushing of a symbol of hope for divided families.
While South Korea may explore diplomatic and legal options, Pyongyang’s increasing hostility and defiance suggest that meaningful reconciliation remains out of reach. For now, the future of inter-Korean relations looks bleak, with North Korea intent on erasing all traces of past cooperation.
