One of his brothers, however, 79-year-old Ham Dong Chan, was frail but still alive and eager to meet his oldest brother. But Ham's joy when he learned of this soon gave way to anxiety. His mind raced with endless questions.
Dong Chan, who came to the meetings with his 72-year-old wife, had thought that his oldest brother was dead. He did not know that his mother had made it to the South, remarried there, and lived for decades.
During those three hours of talks Tuesday, workers brought Ham's bags of gifts. Ham also gave Dong Chan an album containing dozens of photos of him, his family and their mother. Dong Chan gave Ham three bottles of liquor made from ginseng and a silk tablecloth.
Ham said Dong Chan was equally proud of his life as a retired North Korean government worker. Dong Chan said he's living in an apartment in the capital of Pyongyang, which itself is a status symbol in North Korea. He also talked about a grandson who was studying at the prestigious Kim Il Sung Univer
Ham promised Dong Chan that he will be the first South Korean to apply for a North Korean visa if relations improve to the point where cross-border travels are allowed. Dong Chan told Ham that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's relationship with South Korean President Moon Jae-in was so close that th