Repatriation of remains may be on US agenda
NORTH KOREA/US: More than six decades after they died for their country, the repatriation of the remains of thousands of American military personnel missing in action and presumed dead from the Korean War may finally get a boost, now that US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are expected to hold the first summit between their countries.
Nearly 7800 US troops remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. About 5300 were lost in North Korea.
Efforts to recover and return their remains have been stalled for more than a decade because of the North’s development of nuclear weapons and US claims that the safety of recovery teams it sent during the administration of President George W Bush was not sufficiently guaranteed.
There are indications, however, that Trump may raise the issue directly with Kim when they meet. There is also a chance Kim might return some remains, even before the summit.
The location and date of the summit have yet to be announced, though officials have suggested that it should take place by May.
‘‘Hopefully, the North Koreans will turn over some remains as a goodwill gesture before the summit,’’ said Bill Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations and New Mexico governor who secured the return of six sets of remains from North Korea in 2007. ‘‘This would help enormously to defuse some tension.’’
Frank Metersky, a Korean War veteran and a leading advocate of efforts to recover the remains with Korea Cold War Families of the Missing, one of three main support groups for families of service personnel missing in action, said he had been told by Trump administration officials that the issue was tentatively high on the summit agenda. ‘‘The ... recovery of remains from the Korean War is the third item on the list if they get to it. If the meeting takes place and they get past the nuclear and missile issues, it’s the third item on the agenda.’’
Hopes are high that Kim might also be willing to release three Americans of Korean descent being held in custody for what North Korea calls ‘‘anti-state’’ activities. –AP