North and South Korea are reported close to reviving their long-stalled efforts at reconciliation. 

A presidential envoy from the South was due to return home Friday after three days of talks in Pyongyang, including a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. But officials in Seoul say envoy Lim Dong-won decided to stay for one more day, as the two sides were reported making progress on a number of issues. 

One of them is the exchange of family members divided since the Korean War. That humanitarian project has been stalled since last year. The two sides also are reported close to an agreement on reopening economic cooperation talks. 

A joint statement announcing the progress was to have been released Friday, but that has been delayed as the two sides continue to talk. The South Korean envoy and his delegation flew to Pyongyang on Wednesday. They are expected to return to Seoul by land on Saturday, traveling through the border truce village of Panmunjom. 

The resumption of family reunions will be good news for people on both sides of the border who have not seen their relatives since the Korean War, a half-century ago. The reunions and economic talks are key items in a historic agreement signed in June, 2000, during a summit bringing together the leaders of the two countries. 

Pyongyang backed away from all the agreements after President Bush took office and ordered a review of Washington's policies toward North Korea. Mr. Bush later called North Korea part of an "axis of evil" along with Iran and Iraq. 

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters. 

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