A ‘meaningful moment’: Remains of South Korean soldiers repatriated in Hawaii ceremony

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The U.S. government repatriated seven sets of remains from the Korean War to the Republic of Korea Tuesday in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

Through a partnership, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and Republic of Korea’s Agency for KIA Recovery used shared laboratory and historic analysis to identify the remains.

“We’re here today to honor that sacrifice with our Republic of Korea partners in the 70th anniversary of the ironclad alliance as well as the armistice,” DPAA Director Kelly McKeague said.

American and South Korean scientists at DPAA’s Honolulu lab were able to positively identify one of the remains, but the other six remain unknown. All seven soldiers died in December 1950 during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir — a critical battle of the Korean War.

During the battle, South Korean troops were embedded in American platoons.

Adm. John Aquilino, commander of Indo-Pacific Command, said until the remains were identified as belonging to South Korean soldiers, they were “co-mingled” with those of US soldiers.

A nephew of the sole identified Korean servicemember claimed those remains during the ceremony before boarding an aircraft home. That nephew serves in the Korean National Defense.

A repatriation ceremony will also be held in South Korea.

South Korea’s Vice Minister of Defense, Shin Beomchul, said he was touched by Tuesday’s gathering. “So meaningful that those who sacrificed during Korean War for their country, I think we should take good care of them. This is a very meaningful moment,” he said.

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