On November 28, the mortal remains of 43 fallen soldiers of the Chinese volunteer army from the Korean War (1950-1953) were handed over to the People’s Republic of China.
As part of the eleventh repatriation of fallen soldiers, 495 personal belongings and items of clothing were also handed over at a special facility. Afterwards, high-ranking Chinese officials took part in a moving memorial ceremony on the tarmac at Incheon International Airport.
The transfer flight took place in a modern Yun-20 transport aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, accompanied by soldiers from the ceremonial brigade. On part of the flight route, the transporter was escorted by two J-20 fighter planes. Another honorary ceremony was held upon arrival at Shenyang Airport.
Since 2014, South Korea and the People’s Republic of China have been working together on a friendly basis under international law to hand over the mortal remains of soldiers who died in the war as well as personal belongings that were in their possession. A total of 981 Chinese soldiers who died in the war have now been handed over to China over the past eleven years.
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, and on July 27, 1953, the parties to the conflict concluded an armistice agreement in Panmunjeom, North Korea. The United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC) is tasked with monitoring the military ceasefire agreement between the two Koreas along the 243-kilometre demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the 38th parallel. There is still no peace treaty between the two Koreas.
