While there are various opinions on the scope of separated families, the ｢Act on Confirmation of Life or Death and Promotion of Exchange of Inter-Korean Separated Families｣ defines separated families affected by the division between the North and the South as "relatives and relatives by marriage within the eighth degree of consanguinity, and who are or were a spouse dispersed in areas south of the Military Demarcation Line (hereinafter referred to as "South Korea") and areas north of the Military Demarcation Line (hereinafter referred to as "North Korea") at present, irrespective of reasons and circumstances of separation". It adopts a broader definition of family than the definition of family specified by the Civil Act, which includes spouses, direct family members, brothers and sisters only.