US, South Korea hold ceremony to return home war remains

Honor guards of South Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC) carry boxes containing the remains of two servicemen killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, during a mutual repatriation ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, July 13, 2018. The United States and South Korea held the ceremony to return home the remains of two servicemen – an unidentified allied soldier, presumably American, right, and a South Korean soldier. (Jeon Heon-kyun/Pool Photo via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea — The United States and South Korea held a ceremony on Friday to return home the remains of two servicemen killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Seoul’s Defense Ministry said the remains of an unidentified allied soldier, presumably American, found in South Korea in 2016, will be sent to the United States. Meanwhile, the US military has brought to Seoul the remains of a South Korean soldier found in North Korea in 2001 during a joint search between the United States and North Korea.

Friday’s ceremony in Seoul was attended by US Forces Korea Commander Vincent Brooks, South Korea’s Defense Minister Song Young-moo and relatives of South Korean soldier Yun Gyeong-hyeok, who received his remains.

The ceremony came a day after talks between the United States and North Korea over the return of US war remains were postponed.

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said the North requested talks at a higher level.

The United States sent a DNA sample of the South Korean soldier’s remains earlier this year that confirmed him as Yun.

Seoul’s Defense Ministry said the allies are currently trying to identify some 180 sets of remains, some of which are presumed to be South Korean soldiers. /kga