Families separated by the Korean War had to say goodbye to their loved ones - possibly for the last time. Emotions were high as the first phase of reunions wrapped up on Wednesday in the DPRK.  Correspondent Shane Hahm reports.   

The time to say farewell has come again. It's been an emotional three days for families reuniting for the first time since the 1950s Korean War. And many know that this could be the very last time they see each other.  

UNIDENTIFIED DPRK SEPARATED FAMILY MEMBER "Let's meet again when we are reunited. Let's meet again."  

UNIDENTIFIED DPRK SEPARATED FAMILY MEMBER "Stay healthy, grandmother, until the day of reunification. Let's meet again."  

These reunions began with tears of joy and disbelief. After so much time apart, many were initially unable to recognize their blood relatives. But after the initial shock settled in and identities were confirmed, families exchanged stories and retraced their histories from the past six decades.  

KIM BYUNG-SEON 90-YEAR-OLD SOUTH KOREAN "I came here to encounter my mother indirectly through her pictures. I have my two nephews here, but they were not able to bring her pictures."

Separated families are victims of a war that is technically still on-going. The majority have spent their lives wondering what happened to their loved ones. Any cross-border communication, written or verbal, is banned by both sides.

HAN SHIN-JA 99-YEAR-OLD SOUTH KOREAN "You should remember your mother prays for your health and happiness. I hope whenever I pray for you, you will hear it."

As family members return home, many carry mixed emotions. They take comfort in having had the opportunity to make up for lost time. But they also return to the reality of a separated Korean Peninsula.

SHANE HAHM SEOUL "A new batch of reunions will begin on Friday, but this time at the request of 83 DPRK residents looking for family members. More than 300 of their South Korean relatives will gather a day prior near the border where they will be processed before passing through customs and immigration on their way to the reunion venue. From there, undoubtedly, more emotional scenes and stories will be coming out for the rest of the world to see.