"Please Send a Long Reply" Letter from a Korean War Fallen Soldier... President Moon Salutes in the Rain

70th Anniversary Ceremony of the 6·25 War... Only 7 Identified out of 147 Remains, 140 Still Awaiting Families

At the 70th anniversary event of the Korean War held at Seoul Airport on the 25th, the remains of fallen soldiers of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces are being repatriated. 2020.6.25 [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] "Right now, I am sitting at Heungnam Pier, looking out at the sea. I am writing a letter to Minja (my younger sister) while thinking of our parents. Please send a long reply."

This is part of a letter written by the late Private Kim Jeong-yong, a 6.25 War casualty who returned to his homeland as remains after 70 years. Before the letter even reached his family, news of Private Kim's disappearance was reported first. Private Kim, who was 19 years old when drafted in August 1950, died in the Battle of Changjin Lake in South Hamgyong Province at the end of that year.

Private Kim was the fifth of six sons and two daughters. Currently, among the eight siblings, only his younger sister is still alive. Thanks to a DNA sample taken from his sister in June 2009, Private Kim's identity was dramatically confirmed. Grandma Kim Min-ja, the 'younger sister in the letter,' now an 85-year-old white-haired elderly woman, wept for a long time, saying, "What a surprise after 70 years. My brother is coming back... I tried so hard to find him, and now he has finally returned."

Grandma Kim recalled her mother, who passed away longing for her son all her life. She remembered her mother’s figure calling after her son as he left for the battlefield. The hairpin stuck in her mother's hair shone in the sunlight, looking pitiful. When news of her son's disappearance came, her mother, on a rainy day, broke her umbrella without using it and said sadly, "My son is dead, how can I enjoy such luxury?"

President Yae-in is receiving the remains of fallen soldiers of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces at the 70th anniversary event of the Korean War held at Seoul Airport on the 25th, and is receiving the report of the return of the remains of veteran Ryu Young-bong.
At the time, Staff Sergeant Ryu Young-bong participated in the Incheon Landing Operation as a member of the U.S. 7th Infantry Division and was a fellow recruit of the late Private Kim Jung-yong. 2020.6.25 [Photo by Yonhap News]

Seventy years later, on June 25, 2020, Private Kim's remains returned to the homeland along with those of 146 other comrades. The final duty was to report their return. Sergeant Second Class Ryu Young-bong, an 88-year-old war veteran who survived the war, did this on their behalf. He was a fellow recruit with Private Kim. "Sergeant Second Class Ryu Young-bong and 147 others have been ordered to return to the homeland as of June 25, 2020. Hereby reporting. Loyalty." At the trembling voice of the veteran, President Moon Jae-in, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, responded with a salute.

President Moon attended the 6.25 Memorial Ceremony for the second time as a sitting president. He was there to personally welcome the remains of the soldiers who died defending the country along with their families. While the remains of 147 were being unloaded from the Air Force's Cygnus aircraft, singer Yoon Do-han sang "Song of the Old Soldier." The song expresses the sorrow of a soldier who devoted his life to protecting the homeland and the lost youth that will never return. It was once banned during the Park Chung-hee regime.

On this day, for the first time in a 6.25 event, the government fired 21 gunshots in a moment of silence for the patriotic martyrs and heroes. This is an honor equivalent to that given to a head of state. When the final order of the ceremony, the escort of the remains, came, President Moon stood in the rain for about eight minutes, watching until all 147 pallbearers left the site. When the last remains were moved, he saluted in respect.

President Moon Jae-in is giving a salute after observing the transfer of the remains of 147 fallen soldiers at the 70th anniversary ceremony of the Korean War held at Seoul Airport on the 25th.

Among the 147 remains repatriated this time, only seven have been identified. Of these, four were identified through DNA samples taken from their children. Many, like Private Kim, were too young at the time of conscription to have children, and most surviving family members have also passed away, making identification difficult.

Like Private Kim, the late Private Jeong Jae-sul, who died in the Battle of Changjin Lake, was identified this May through a DNA sample taken from his nephew. Jeong's nephew recalled his mother, who passed away five years ago, saying, "She longed for her brother all her life. Even until she died, I vividly remember her crying a lot while searching for her brother." Those who lost family and lived difficult lives, after a faint hope, found the remains dramatically after 70 years and unanimously expressed gratitude to the government and the Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team.

There are still 140 remains waiting for their families. Yoon Jae-kwan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Blue House, said, "Securing DNA from family members necessary for identification is very important to bring the remains back to their families." He explained, "The government is conducting home visits for sample collection and since April last year, offers a minimum reward of 10 million won when identification is confirmed after a pilot DNA collection." He added, "If the DNA collection rate is low, remains that were painstakingly excavated may not be able to be returned to their families." He expressed hope that more families of 6.25 War casualties would participate in DNA collection on the 70th anniversary of the war.

Families of war casualties wishing to provide DNA samples can receive guidance through the Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team (1577-5625, 02-811-6574~5).

At the 70th anniversary event of the Korean War held at Seoul Airport on the 25th, the remains of fallen soldiers of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces are being repatriated. 2020.6.25 [Image source=Yonhap News]

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