The heartwarming pictures from the reunions of separated families in late October were sent via fax line and cost the media outlets involved more than $9,000.

Wi-Fi, LTE, hotspot and the like were of no use sending pictures from North to South Korea, and faxing an image – 100 of which amounted to just 1 GB – cost $30 each, Dong-a Ilbo photojournalist Byun Young-wook said.

“The pictures were sent via fax line, which is also used for international phone calls. Journalists connected the fax line to their notebook computer, and pressed the companies’ phone number, starting with South