Identification of Late Private Kim Hak-su Confirmed 14 Years After Only Leg Bone Was Excavated

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu]The remains of a Korean War soldier, of whom only some body parts were excavated 14 years ago, have returned to his family. Although combat boot soles and raincoat fragments were found around the remains, it was insufficient to identify the identity, but it was finally confirmed to be the late Private Kim Hak-su.

On the 25th, the Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team (hereafter, the National Excavation Team) announced that the identity of the Korean War soldier's remains excavated in 2008 in Seohwa-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do, was confirmed to be the late Private Kim Hak-su.

Thanks to the great-great-grandchild who vaguely remembered his participation in the war, the remains were able to return to the family belatedly.

Private Kim's remains excavated in 2008 included only part of the leg bones including the pelvis. Although combat boot soles and raincoat fragments were found around the remains, it was insufficient to identify the identity.

However, in 2019, the late soldier's great-great-grandchild, who was serving in the military, learned about the remains excavation project and vaguely recalled his great-great-grandfather's participation in the Korean War. He encouraged his father, who is the late soldier's grandson, to provide a DNA sample. The National Excavation Team was able to identify the remains presumed to be related by family through genetic analysis, and to confirm the exact relationship, they collected a DNA sample from the late soldier's daughter, Kim Jeong-sun, confirming the father-daughter relationship.

Born on May 14, 1925, in Jincheon-gun, Chungbuk, as the youngest of six sons and three daughters, Private Kim enlisted on March 16, 1951, when his only daughter was three years old, after marrying the late Lee So-jeo. He died in the Battle of Seohwa-ri (June 4 to June 17, 1951) that occurred the same year he enlisted. Mrs. Lee also passed away at the age of 31 in 1959, eight years after her husband's enlistment.

His daughter Jeong-sun said, "I heard that after my father died, a square box containing his fingernails and toenails was wrapped in the Taegeukgi and returned home," and expressed her longing, saying, "When my mother put me to sleep as a child, she would sing 'Rainy Gomoryeong' with tears, which served as a medium connecting my father, mother, and me." The National Excavation Team plans to hold a 'Heroic Return Ceremony' for Private Kim on the 28th at the home of his daughter Jeong-sun in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province.

Including Private Kim, the total number of identified soldiers since the remains excavation project began in 2000 has increased to 190.

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