By Lee Hana

Fifty-five sets of remains of U.S. troops killed during the Korean War, transferred from North Korea last month, have been sent off back to the U.S. in a ceremony at the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do Province.

It has taken over 65 years since the armistice signed on July 27, 1953, for the repatriation to occur.

The ceremony was organized by the United Nations Command (UNC) and was attended by Minster of National Defense Song Young-moo, UNC commander Gen. Vincent Brooks and some 500 guests from Korea and the U.S.

The ceremony renewed the UNC's pledge that the fallen will never be forgotten nor be left behind. Korean and U.S. honor guards inspected the ceremony, and a salute of 21 guns was fired, a formality normally reserved for heads of state.

The remains were placed in 55 caskets and lined up in a hangar, where prayers, national anthems of the two countries, and a moment of silence took place to pay respects to the dead.

"Encouraged by recent cooperation with North Korea on this humanitarian effort that enabled the transfer of 55 sets of remains on July 27, we have gathered as the successors of the UNC in the Republic of Korea and as the beneficiaries of the noble sacrifices of those who for a short while longer will remain nameless, to render our final salutes to them and to lay wreaths in the names of our countries who fought side by side," said Gen. Vincent Brooks in his memorial address.

The repatriation was part of an agreement made between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their June 12 summit in Singapore. In the agreement, the U.S. and the DPRK agreed to commit to recovering POW and MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.

The remains will arrive on Aug. 1 at the Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii where they will be met by Vice President Mike Pence and surviving war veterans.

hlee10@korea.kr