News-Info-Alerts

Re: RFA Reports More Korean War Remains Found

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: October 1, 2003

"More US Soldiers Remains Found in NK

SEOUL (Yonhap) _ Additional sets of remains believed to be those of American soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War have recently been unearthed in North Korea, a U.S.-based radio station reported Saturday.

The remains were found at two major battlegrounds, Unsan, North Pyongan Province, and Jangjin, South Hamgyong Province, by a joint team of U.S. and North Korean officials, Larry Greer, a spokesman for the POW (Prisoner Of War)/Missing Personnel Office at the U.S. Department of Defense, was quoted as saying by Radio Free Asia.

However, it was not known how many sets of remains were recovered.

Greer said the exact number will be known after this year's second month-long joint excavation ends on Oct. 28.

The team reportedly uncovered four sets of similar remains during the previous round from Aug. 23 to Sept. 23.

In the interview, the spokesman also said U.S. and North Korean officials were discussing when to resume bilateral talks on joint operations for next year.

The talks will most likely be held in Bangkok in November, he said, adding that Washington was looking to hold five rounds of excavation next year.

The two countries have conducted the joint recovery project in North Korea since 1996. About 8,100 U.S. servicemen are listed as unaccounted for from the Korean War by the U.S. government. Some 178 sets of remains had been recovered by the end of last year but fewer than a dozen have been positively identified.

©Hanouki 10-12-2003 "