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| ▲ This photo, provided by the defense ministry on May 14, 2021, shows items of the late Pfc. Kang Seong-ki found at a former Korean War battle site in Yanggu, some 175 kilometers northeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
war remains-identification
Remains of 2 Korean War soldiers identified
SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) -- The remains of two soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War have been identified through DNA analysis after they were recovered from a former battle site years ago, the defense ministry said Friday.
The identification of the remains of Pfc. Yoon Deok-yong and Pfc. Kang Seong-ki was possible as their families registered their DNA samples with the government, according to the ministry. Their remains were excavated in Yanggu, some 175 kilometers northeast of Seoul, in 2017.
The identifications mark the 163rd and 164th such cases since South Korea began excavating remains in 2000 to find soldiers who died during the war.
The late soldiers are presumed to have died while fighting a battle in 1951.
Around 140,000 South Korean troops were killed in action, and some 450,000 others were injured during the three-year war. The number of fallen South Korean troops whose remains have yet to be recovered stands at around 123,000.
The ministry said it will hold a ceremony to mark the late soldiers' return and lay their remains at a national cemetery.
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