Seoul: The defense ministry announced on Monday its goal to locate approximately 200 remains of South Korean soldiers who lost their lives during the 1950-53 Korean War. This effort is a part of the ongoing project to excavate war remains.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the project is set to run from March 9 to November 27, involving 30 Army units and the 1st Marine Division. A total of 100,000 troops will be mobilized for this endeavor. The agency responsible for the recovery and identification of these fallen soldiers has increased its target to excavate 200 remains this year, marking a 42 percent rise from last year's discovery of 141 remains.
The excavation efforts will primarily focus on 22 cities and counties, with significant attention on the border areas of Paju and Yeoncheon, which were central to combat during the Korean War. The ministry also plans to maintain international cooperation for joint excavation efforts and repatriation of remains, working with countries such as Australia and the United States.
Additionally, authorities aim to collect 10,000 genetic samples from bereaved family members and verify the identities of 20 soldiers who were killed in action this year. Since the inception of the project in 2000, the ministry has successfully excavated 11,488 remains and confirmed the identities of 270 individuals. However, nearly 90 percent of the 133,192 soldiers remain unaccounted for and buried.