First Day: The man who became Australian to visit his family in North Korea

Born in North Korea, Dongup Kim volunteered as a soldier in the South Korean Army during the war. Separated from his family when he was very young, he finally migrated to Australia in the late eighties. As an Australian citizen, he managed to travel to North Korea in 2003 and visit his younger sister.

Dongup Kim and sons Jangyol's and Jaeyol’s family Source: Provided by Dongup Kim

Dongup Kim was born in Kaesong, North Korea, in 1932. He was separated from his whole his family by the Korean War. He moved to South Korea by himself and volunteered in the Army.

When the war finished, he built his own family in South Korea. But he always missed his family, who were left in North Korea. - at the time, residents from the South were not allowed to visit North Korea.

In 1989,  he migrated to Australia. It was the only chance he had to visit North Korea to meet his family.

In 2003, after 14 years, he finally visited North Korea as an Australian.

He met his younger sister and her family. His parents, however, had already passed away.

Now Dongup Kim is a good friend of Korean War Veterans in Australia and he is currently a member of the Korean War Veterans Association in Victoria.

Dongup Kim and his son Jaeyol Kim at SBS studio Source: Justin Park