Siblings Separated by War Reunite After 58 Years: "I Waited 3 Days in the Classroom"

On the 31st, Dongjak Police Station's 'Long-term Missing Persons Reunion Ceremony'
Four Siblings Reunited After 58 Years, Tears Upon Seeing Each Other
Reunion Confirmed by DNA Test... "Unimaginable Event"
Oldest Sister: "I Will Take the Subway to See My Siblings"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Seoyul] "My dream was to hear my mother’s voice just once. Mom, are you watching?" (Jang Heeran, the third of four siblings, 65, was 7 years old at the time of disappearance)

"We didn’t live comfortably either. I’m sorry to my younger siblings." (Jang Taekhoon, the second of four siblings, 67)

A childhood photo of Jang Heeran (65), who went missing among four siblings

At 2 p.m. on the 31st, the 'Long-term Missing Four Siblings Reunion Ceremony' was held at Dongjak Police Station. The eldest sibling, Jang Heejae (69), met his two younger sisters, Heeran and Jang Kyungin (63, who was 5 years old at the time of disappearance), for the first time in 58 years. Before meeting his two younger sisters who had been separated from the family after losing their mother’s hand on the tram from Yeongdeungpo to Dongdaemun, Heejae’s cheeks were flushed red as he anxiously rubbed his hands repeatedly while waiting. When he saw the third sibling Heeran and the youngest Kyungin, Heejae burst into tears he had been holding back. He embraced Heeran and tearfully said, "I waited at school, in the classroom. For three days." Heeran’s tears also did not stop.

Heejae’s efforts to find his two missing younger siblings began in 1983. Although a broadcast was aired on KBS’s special live program 'Finding Separated Families' to search for missing family members, they were ultimately not found. Later, in the summer of 2005, Heejae appeared on KBS’s Morning Yard program to search for his siblings once again, but this too was difficult. After two attempts without significant results, Heejae had no choice but to believe his mother’s words that "if they learn piano while in an orphanage, they will go to America."

However, while his mother was still alive, Heejae thought he had to find his two siblings before it was too late, so this time he knocked on the police station’s door. Around November 2, 2021, Heejae reported to the Anyang Manan Police Station in Gyeonggi Province to find his two missing siblings, and the case was transferred to Dongjak Police Station in Seoul, which had jurisdiction over the address at the time of the incident. However, it was not easy to find the two siblings this way either. Dongjak Police Station checked various agencies by looking up resident registration numbers and profiling long-term missing persons to identify their whereabouts, but it was difficult to determine their exact location because the names and birthdays were arbitrarily recorded at the care facilities where the siblings had stayed. Heeran’s name had been changed to Hyejeong, and Kyungin’s name had been changed to Jeongin. Ultimately, the police collected Heejae’s DNA and sent it to the Child Rights Protection Agency (Protection Agency), waiting for a match.

At 2 p.m. on the 31st, at the Dongjak Police Station, the second brother Jang Taek-hoon, missing younger sisters Jang Kyung-in and Jang Hee-ran, and older sister Jang Hee-jae (from left) are talking during the 'Long-term Missing Siblings Reunion Ceremony.' Photo by Hwang Seo-yul chestnut@

By fate, on December 6 of last year, the youngest sibling Kyungin, who was missing, also reported to the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station to find her family, and the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station collected Kyungin’s DNA. Six days later, the police stations were notified that there was a person with similar DNA. They collected DNA from Kyungin and Heejae a second time and sent it to the Protection Agency, and finally received notification on the 26th that the DNA was similar. Afterward, Kyungin contacted Heeran, with whom she had been in touch continuously since her disappearance, and the reunion of the four siblings took place after 58 years. Heeran tearfully said at the time, "When I heard the news that I found my sister, I felt like the sky was falling and all my strength drained," adding, "It was something I never imagined."

On that day, Kyungin and Heeran shared the difficult stories they experienced after being separated from their family. Kyungin said, "I was first found at the Noryangjin tram waiting room and moved to a child protection center," adding, "In today’s terms, I had to leave the facility when I turned 18, like an 'independent youth'." She continued, "I was kicked out of school for not paying tuition, so I studied by myself and had a hard time."

Heeran said, "I got married early, met my husband, and have a son and a daughter," wiping tears with a handkerchief. "When I had children, I thought, ‘I must never lose my children, and I must make sure they don’t go through the painful experience I had.’" She added, "I am truly grateful to meet my older sister and brother here." The eldest sister comforted her crying sibling by stroking her hand, saying, "We should be thankful just to have found each other," and "We just need to live happily."

Heejae said, "My siblings had no one to lean on, couldn’t even say they were sick, and lived pitifully," and added, "We will eat a meal together, and now I will take the subway to go meet my siblings." Taekhoon also said, "Since we met our two siblings, we will create a gathering where we can promote friendship with each other’s children."