This Month, Remains of Korean War Fallen Soldiers Repatriated from Hawaii

On the 18th, at the Joint Enshrinement Ceremony for the Remains of the Fallen Soldiers of the Korean War held at the Memorial Hall of the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, the honor guard is escorting the spirits of the fallen soldiers. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War this year, the remains of Korean War casualties in Hawaii, USA, will be repatriated.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 1st, this 70th anniversary project, promoted in connection with the June Month of Patriots and Veterans, will be carried out under the slogan "Flame of Memory, Torch of Peace and Prosperity," consisting of two fields: victory commemoration and patriots and veterans, with a total of 15 projects.

The victory commemoration events are organized to commemorate and remember the victories of the three major battles that greatly contributed to the turning point of the Korean War phase. The Incheon Landing Operation (September), the Nakdong River Battle (October), and the Chuncheon Battle (November) are the targets. These events include victory ceremonies and consolation gatherings, battle reenactments, experience centers for major battles using AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies, and a special exhibition for the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.

As a representative patriots and veterans event, the repatriation of the remains of Korean War soldiers in Hawaii is planned. About 120 remains of war casualties stored at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) under the U.S. Department of Defense will be repatriated to Korea during "Korean War Week" (19th to 25th). Among the remains excavated by the U.S. in North Korean territory, those presumed to be Korean soldiers through joint U.S.-Korea identification will be repatriated and undergo identification and examination in Korea.

As a mark of respect for the fallen, the Ministry is considering deploying the KC-330 aerial refueling aircraft, a core asset of the Air Force, for the repatriation. The KC-330, based on the Airbus civilian passenger aircraft A330-200, can carry 65 tons of cargo and has a range of 7,400 km. Although its primary mission is aerial refueling, it can also perform transport missions. Additionally, the government has arranged events to visit United Nations member countries that participated in the Korean War to express gratitude for the sacrifices and dedication of veterans.

An event honoring the meritorious service of female soldiers who participated in the Korean War, the "Female Veterans Memorial Exhibition and Remembrance," will also be held at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul.

Furthermore, the "Torch of Peace and Prosperity" field events will be divided into cultural arts and peace experience activities.

As a cultural arts event to promote a correct understanding of the Korean War and enhance security awareness, a special exhibition for the 70th anniversary of the Korean War will be held. Historical materials related to the Korean War will be discovered and exhibited so that the public can feel closer to and remember the war. An international academic conference will also be held in the second half of the year to inform future generations of the significance of the Korean War and to promote Korea's development to the participating countries. User-created content (UCC) and webtoons related to the Korean War will also be solicited.

The military creative musical "Return," which allows the war generation who experienced the Korean War and the post-war generation to empathize and communicate together, will open around the 16th of this month. "Return," a musical created by the Army Headquarters about the excavation of war casualties, features many members of domestic idol groups enlisted in the Army. Members such as EXO's D.O. and Xiumin, Wanna One's Yoon Ji-sung, and FT Island's Lee Hong-gi will appear. A magic show titled "Storytelling Hologram Performance," which narrates the process of overcoming the painful memories of war in a story format, will also be staged at the War Memorial.

In addition, as a peace experience event, opportunities will be provided to tour the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) Peace Trails in Paju, Goseong, and Cheorwon to establish national security awareness. A public recruitment of citizen participants will be conducted to form tour groups, with seven sessions of 70 people each under consideration.

A Korean War remembrance survival competition using scientific combat training equipment will also be organized. Participation from domestic civilian clubs, ROK and U.S. military personnel, and local residents will be encouraged. Events to commemorate and appreciate the ROK-U.S. alliance and a ROK-U.S. Taekwondo Harmony Festival will also be promoted.

The Ministry of National Defense emphasized, "All events related to the 70th anniversary will be carried out in strict compliance with government COVID-19 quarantine guidelines," and added, "We will prepare with utmost sincerity to provide moving and profound impressions through various events with the public."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.