Seoul: The defense ministry announced the commencement of its annual initiative to recover the remains of soldiers who perished during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. The project aims to locate over 220 missing service members this year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry has been engaged in the excavation and identification of fallen soldiers since 2000. This ongoing effort has successfully uncovered the remains of 11,469 South Korean soldiers along with 37 U.N. troops who fought against North Korean and Chinese forces.
This year's objectives include the excavation of more than 220 sets of remains, the identification of over 25 sets, and the collection of 12,000 DNA samples from the relatives of the deceased soldiers to aid in identification. The ministry plans to deploy 30 divisions and brigades across 34 former battle sites for the excavation efforts, which are expected to continue through November 28. Notable sites include the northeastern county of Yanggu.
In addition, the ministry has initiated a joint five-week excavation project with U.S. officials to recover the remains of American troops who died during the war. The U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has dispatched 11 historians and archaeologists for this endeavor, which has been conducted two to four times annually since 2011.