Repatriation Ceremony for Korean War Remains of U.S. and ROK Soldiers in Seoul

Seoul, 5 June 2026 ― In a solemn ceremony in Seoul today, the remains of three fallen American and ten South Korean soldiers of the Korean War were returned to their home nations. The President of the Republic of Korea (ROK), President Lee Jae-myung, the ROK Minister of National Defense, Minister Ahn Gyu-back, and the United Nations Command (UNC) Commander, General Xavier T. Brunson, provided remarks highlighting the sacrifices made during the Korean War and importance of continuing the arduous yet important mission of identifying and repatriating the remains of those who fought in the defense of the Republic of Korea and our shared values.

“We gather today in the presence of thirteen heroes: three American and ten Republic of Korea service members,” said GEN Brunson. “We do not yet know their names, but we know who they are. They are our brothers-in-arm, and today, they are finally coming home.”

He added, “To the Republic of Korea: thank you for your sacred devotion. More than seven decades have passed, yet Korea has never forgotten.”

These recovered service members represent the broader sacrifice of the nations who fought under the UNC. The prosperity of the modern Republic of Korea stands as a living monument to their sacrifice. The UNC is honored to stand with our ROK and U.S. partners in preserving this legacy, continuing the tireless work to identify and return our fallen heroes.

The U.S. Defense Prisoner of War/Missing-in-Action Accounting Agency (DPAA) and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed-in-action Recovery and Identification (MAKRI) share the ROK-U.S. mission to locate, recover, and identify fallen service members from the Korean War by leveraging joint field operations, advanced forensic science, and reciprocal strategic support.