N. Korea returns possible remains of US Korean War soldiers
July 27, 2018
A US jet has landed in South Korea with what are thought to be the remains of American servicemen killed during the Korean War. Their repatriation was promised by Kim Jong Un to Donald Trump at their June summit.
The plane landed at Osan Air Base outside of Seoul and was met by American soldiers lining up for a ceremony.
The transfer of the soldiers' remains to the US follows through on a promise made by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to US President Donald Trump when they met at a landmark summit in June.
"Today, (Kim) is fulfilling part of the commitment he made to the President to return our fallen American service members. We are encouraged by North Korea's actions and the momentum for positive change," the White House said in a statement.
Trump also later thanked Kim on Twitter:
Thousands of soldiers missing
The number of soldiers whose remains were transferred is still unclear, though reports said that Pyongyang would return 55 sets of remains.
North Korean authorities likely recovered the remains during farming or construction. The majority of Americans killed in Korea, however, are still buried in cemeteries or the sites of major battles.
More than 7,000 soldiers are listed as missing from the Korean War, with around 5,300 believed to be in the North. Between 1990 and 2005, Pyongyang transferred 229 sets of remains to the US but stopped doing so as relations with Washington deteriorated over North Korea's nuclear program.
The remains flown to South Korea on Friday are expected to continue onward to Hawaii, where they will undergo forensic investigation to determine if they are human and are those of American troops.
South Korean and UN guards participated in a repatriation ceremony earlier in JulyImage: Getty Images/Pool/J. Heon-Kyun
The war that never ended
The war lasted from 1950 to 1953 and saw the Soviet-backed North invade the US-backed South. The United Nations eventually backed the US-led campaign. In total, the war killed over a million individuals, including some 36,000 American military personnel.
The return coincided with the 65th anniversary of the 1953 armistice agreement, which ended the fighting but technically did not end the war between the Koreas because a peace treaty was never signed.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un's historic summit in pictures
All eyes were on US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they met for historic talks in Singapore. Between handshakes, they committed to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Loeb
First meeting
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump shake hands as they meet for the first time. Unlike in past meetings with some world leaders, Trump did not try to pull Kim's hand towards him or hold on to the North Korean leader's hand too long.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Loeb
From insults to 'special bond'
Trump and Kim appeared at ease with one another during the summit. Just a few months prior, Trump and Kim engaged in a war of words, trading insults like "little rocket man" and "mentally deranged." Following their meeting, Trump said he formed a "special bond" with Kim and that he'd like to invite him to the White House.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Loeb
Who's leading whom?
Kim lays a hand on Trump's back as they leave after signing a joint statement pledging peace negotiations and denuclearization. Some critics worried that the US agreed to give up too many things in negotiations with Kim. At a press conference, Trump said he wanted to stop US military exercises with South Korea and eventually withdraw US troops — something Pyongyang has been demanding for years.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
Four-point agreement
Trump displays the joint agreement he signed with Kim. In the four-point document, Kim agreed to the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." In exchange, Trump agreed to provide "security guarantees" to Pyongyang. The two leaders also agreed to build a "robust peace regime" and to return the remains of prisoners of the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
All eyes on Trump and Kim
South Koreans watch the summit on a screen located at a train station in Seoul. Ahead of the event, critics expressed concern that the meeting between the two leaders would be purely symbolic and not bring concrete progress to easing tensions. Indeed, the agreement did not specify what exact measures would be taken.
Image: Getty Images/C. Sung-Jun
Honoring 'the bromance' in Singapore
A bartender in Singapore crafted a special drink for the summit, dubbed "The Bromance." The meeting was held on Singapore's Sentosa island, a resort area with luxury hotels and a theme park. The island's security was massively increased ahead of the summit, while local businesses marked the occasion with special Trump-Kim branded water and drinks.
