UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed the ongoing inter-Korean family reunion event that brought together Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean war, his spokesman said.

The secretary-general "hopes that such reunion events will become routine and involve many more people, including affected Koreans worldwide, allow participants to meet privately, and to remain in contact after the meetings," the spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement.

The family reunion event began on Monday and is expected to last until Sunday.

The UN chief further welcomed the efforts by both Koreas to continue their engagement and to take steps to build confidence and trust, said the spokesman.

The secretary-general looks forward to discussing how he can further support the parties in their diplomatic efforts to bring sustainable peace, security, and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula during the upcoming high-level week of the UN General Assembly, the spokesman said.

The family reunion events have been held since the 1980. The previous one was organized in October 2015.