By Kim Young Shin

The remains of 55 U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War (1950-1953) returned from North Korea on July 27.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane headed to Wonsan, North Korea, at 5:55 a.m. local time and returned to Osan Air Base at 11 a.m. with the remains on board.

While the U.S. soldiers and their families were watching, U.N. honor guards carried the caskets containing the remains of the fallen soldiers wrapped in U.N. flags to the vans that moved them to the base.

The United Nations Command (UNC) announced that a full honors ceremony will be hosted by the UNC and U.S. Forces Korea Commander General Vincent Brooks on Aug. 1 at Osan Air Base.

The remains will be flown to Hawaii for further processing by the Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency after the ceremony.

“The Korean government greatly welcomes North Korea’s repatriation of the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War after their being away from home for more than half a century, considering it a humanitarian measure that could help to heal the anguish of those killed in the Korean War and their bereaved families,” a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said.

“The repatriation, which came pursuant to the agreement reached by the U.S. and North Korean leaders at their bilateral summit on June 12, marks significant progress that could contribute to the establishment of peace between the two sides,” the spokesperson said.

“To aid the improving inter-Korea relations, the government of the Republic of Korea will continue consultations with the North Korean government to seek ways to carry out the excavation of remains of South Korean soldiers killed in the Korean War and to bring them home to their families as soon as possible,” said the spokesperson.

ysk1111@korea.kr