Incheon: South Korea on Wednesday handed over the remains of 12 Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War to China in a joint ceremony organized by the two countries, Seoul's defense ministry said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the remains were returned in a ceremony jointly hosted by Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee and Chinese Vice Minister of Veterans Affairs Xu Yao at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. This event marks the latest in a series of repatriations, with South Korea having returned 1,023 sets of remains of Chinese troops since 2014. These actions are carried out in accordance with international law and on humanitarian grounds.
The ministry noted that the handover ceremony was held publicly for the first time in three years, reflecting an improvement in bilateral ties between Seoul and Beijing. It also affirmed its commitment to continue efforts for the repatriation of Chinese troops.
The Korean War began when North Korea, supported by China and the then Soviet Union, invaded South Korea. The conflict concluded with a cease-fire rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war.