South Korea Sends Back Remains of Chinese Soldiers Killed in Korean War

(MENAFN) South Korea has returned the remains of 12 Chinese People’s Volunteer soldiers who were killed during the 1950–53 Korean War, according to reports.

The handover took place on Wednesday during a formal ceremony at Incheon International Airport, jointly attended by South Korean and Chinese officials, including South Korea’s vice defense minister and China’s vice minister of veterans affairs.

The event marked another step in an ongoing repatriation process between the two countries.

Since 2014, South Korea has transferred a total of 1,023 sets of remains belonging to Chinese troops who died during the conflict.

A bilateral agreement signed in 2014 established a framework for the return of fallen soldiers’ remains, allowing both sides to cooperate on identifying and repatriating war dead.

Officials noted that this year’s ceremony was held publicly for the first time in three years, a development described as reflecting improved relations between Seoul and Beijing. South Korea also reaffirmed its commitment to continue efforts related to the repatriation process.

The Chinese forces involved were part of the volunteer units that fought alongside North Korea against South Korea and its allies during the Korean War, a conflict that resulted in heavy casualties on all sides.

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