SEOUL -- Despite South Korean President Moon Jae-in's attempts at thawing relations with North Korea, Pyongyang has ignored Seoul's proposal for an October reunion of families torn apart by the Korean War.

Moon, whose progressive administration has opened the door to dialogue with the North, proposed in Berlin this July a reunion to coincide with the Chuseok holiday Wednesday, a time when Korean families traditionally gather to honor their ancestors. North Korea has not only ignored his request, but has also ramped up its criticism and threats in response to his calls for it to abandon its nuclear weapons.

Wednesday also marks a decade since then-President Roh Moo-hyun and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong Il pledged to expand economic cooperation and family reunions in a declaration following their summit. Kim's son Kim Jong Un now rules the North.

Cho Myoung-gyon, South Korea's unification minister, stressed Monday that Seoul will continue pursuing reunions separately from political and military issues.

Roughly 10 million Koreans were separated from relatives by the 1950-53 conflict and uneasy armistice that followed. An agreement between both countries' Red Cross societies brought about the first reunion in 1985, and the events became a regular occurrence after the first North-South summit in 2000. Roughly 20,000 people have taken part so far, with some allowed video chats with family on the other side.

But these events have been canceled or curtailed in recent years owing to North Korea's refusal to participate amid rising tensions on the divided peninsula. No reunions were held last year under then-South Korean President Park Geun-hye. More than half of the South Koreans who had sought to participate have already passed away.

Such joint economic projects as the Mount Kumgang resort and the Kaesong industrial complex were suspended by the South's past two conservative presidential administrations. Whether they can resume remains unclear amid Pyongyang's continuing nuclear and missile tests.

Moon decided in September to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea amid growing frustration in his liberal support base over the lack of progress on relations.