Soldiers’ remains from Korean War returned

The Republic of Korea handed over to China on Wednesday the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers who died during the Korean War in the 1950s, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

Gao Xiaobing, deputy head of the ministry, said the remains of 589 Chinese People’s Volunteers have been returned in five groupings since 2014.

“China appreciates the ROK government’s efforts and hopes the ROK government will fully implement the agreements that have been reached by the two countries and continue to facilitate future handovers,” she said.

Gao made the remark at the handover ceremony held at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday.

Some 30 people attended the ceremony, including representatives of the Chinese embassy, China-funded organizations, overseas Chinese and students, the ministry said.

After a short service, soldiers the remains to a memorial escorted People’s Liberation Army Air Force plane, which was joined by two jet fighters after it entered Chinese airspace, the ministry said.

The Chinese People’s Volunteers fought alongside the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea army in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. More than 200,000 CPV soldiers were killed in the war.

Some of the Chinese dead were buried at Puju Cemetery in the Republic of Korea’s Gyeonggi province. China and the Republic of Korea reached an agreement to excavate the remains in 2013.

The next year, remains of 437 soldiers were handed over to China and interred at a cemetery in memory of all the soldiers who died during the war, in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

LI GANG / XINHUA An honor guard escorts coffins that contain remains of 20 Chinese People’s Volunteers who died during the Korean War at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport in Liaoning province after they were returned by the Republic of Korea on Wednesday.