N Korea promises to return US troops’ remains, says Pompeo

TALKS between US and North Korean officials yesterday to discuss the return of remains of US service members killed in the 195053 Korean War have “resulted in firm commitments”, according to Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state.

It was the first time in nine years that US and North Korean generals have held talks. The two sides met on the inter-korean border yesterday and agreed to resume joint field activities to search for the remains of Americans missing from the war, Pompeo said.

“Today’s talks were productive and co-operative and resulted in firm commitments,” he said.

The repatriation of US remains was one of the agreements reached during an unprecedented summit between Donald Trump, the US president, and Kim Jongun, the North Korean leader, in June in Singapore.

Working-level meetings will begin today to coordinate the next steps for the repatriation of remains, including the transfer of those already collected in North Korea, Pompeo said.

The Pentagon has said North Korean officials have indicated in the past they have the remains of as many as 200 US troops. But a US military official familiar with the matter said last month it was not clear what North Korea might hand over.

US forces have handed over 100 wooden coffins, which will be used to transport the remains, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

About 7,700 US military personnel still remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. More than 36,500 US troops died in the conflict.