South Korea: Mass wedding for North Korean defectors

Tying the knot: The event took place inside an arena at Seoul's Olympic Park

A mass wedding has been held in Seoul for defectors from North Korea.

One hundred couples were selected to take part in the event at the Olympic Park in South Korea's capital on Tuesday, Channel News Asia reports. Sixty of the newlyweds married fellow North Koreans, 10 married South Koreans and the rest tied the knot with other nationalities, the report says. Ranging in age from their 20s to their 60s, the couples were joined by South Korea's Unification Minister, Hong Yong-pyo, who said they were laying the foundation for Korean unification.

One bride described the event as "extraordinary", adding that it isn't easy to meet the right person. "I'm North Korean and he is South Korean. Not only is the language different, but also the culture," she tells the channel. "I think it is really great that we can live together by overcoming cultural barriers and being understanding and respectful of each other."

The wedding was organised by the government in conjunction with an NGO in order to assist defectors who couldn't afford a wedding ceremony on their own, the Chosun Ilbo website says. People who defect from the North often face significant emotional challenges as well as financial difficulty. A survey of more than 1,700 defectors earlier this year found that half had suffered from depression or anxiety.

One North Korean bride said she and her husband had to overcome cultural differences

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