Relatives of Japanese kidnapped by North Korea decades ago expressed hope that Friday's inter-Korean summit and a subsequent U.S.-North Korea summit will move the long-stalled abduction issue forward and ultimately lead to the return of their loved ones.
"I hope things will take a turn for the better," said Sakie Yokota, 82, whose daughter Megumi was abducted in 1977 at age 13. Yokota was watching live news reports on the historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the border village of Panmunjom.
While expressing hope for an early resolution of the issue out of concern for the health of her 85-year-old husband, Shigeru, Yokota said she is remaining level-headed in "seeing how things will unfold," given North Korea has previously backtracked every time there were apparent signs of progress on the issue.