After 10 Years of Excavation, '6·25 War Veteran' Late Corporal Go Byeong-su Returns to Family,

Last Year, Participation of Bereaved Families in Sample Collection Made Identification Possible... Total of 165 Identified Since 2000

165th Identification, Photo of the Personal Belongings of the Late Sergeant Go Byeong-su

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The identity of a Republic of Korea soldier who died in the Korean War at the age of twenty has been confirmed 10 years after the remains were excavated.

The Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team (hereafter the National Excavation Team) announced on the 18th that the identity of the remains of a Korean War casualty excavated on June 7, 2011, in the Baekseoksan area of Yanggu, Gangwon Province, was confirmed to be the late Corporal Ko Byung-su.

Born in 1931, Corporal Ko voluntarily enlisted in December 1950 after the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, when he was 19 years old.

After only a week of training, he was deployed to the front lines and was killed in action during the Battle of Baekseoksan (August 18 to October 1, 1951) the following year. The Baekseoksan area was one of the strategically important strongholds on the eastern front where fierce battles took place during the Korean War.

At the excavation site, only one left shinbone and a piece of cloth belonging to the deceased were found, but the identity was not immediately confirmed at that time.

However, since last year, the National Excavation Team has been reanalyzing data and conducting focused interviews with families of the deceased in areas where many remains were excavated. During this process, genetic samples from Corporal Ko’s family were secured, enabling the recent confirmation of his identity.

Ko Byung-wol (86), the younger brother of the deceased, expressed his feelings, saying, "Those who have not experienced the horrors of war cannot understand its misery. We must never forget that our Republic of Korea was protected by the sacrifices of fallen soldiers, and all citizens should strive to maintain a strong national power."

The National Excavation Team plans to hold a "Heroic Return Ceremony" in consultation with the family and then inter the remains at the National Cemetery.

With this, the total number of Korean War casualties whose identities have been confirmed since the remains excavation project began in April 2000 has reached 165.

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