The First Identified 6·25 War Casualty This Year Is 'Corporal Ban Cheolhwan Go'

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The identity of a South Korean soldier who died anonymously during the Korean War has been confirmed for the first time this year. The remains have been identified as the late Corporal Ban Cheol-hwan.

According to the Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team on the 12th, the deceased was born on September 26, 1924, in the I-an-myeon area of Sangju-gun, Gyeongbuk, as the fifth child among four sons and two daughters. He married in 1944 at the age of 17. In March 1951, he joined the Korean War as a member of the 16th Regiment, 8th Division, leaving behind his wife, eldest daughter, and a second child in his wife's womb. He was killed in action on August 24, 1951, during the Nojeonpyeong battle near Seohwa-ri, Inje-gun, Gangwon Province, just four days after his second daughter was born. It was only after 65 years that five relics, including part of a thigh bone, bullet casings, and a canteen, were discovered on July 13, 2016, in the Seohwa-ri area of Inje, Gangwon Province.

The Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team explained that the identity confirmation was possible through DNA comparison and analysis after Ban Gyeong-ah (70), the soldier’s second daughter, participated in DNA sample collection last month. With this, the number of identified Korean War fallen soldiers through the remains excavation project, which began in April 2000, has increased to 158.

Ms. Ban said, "The years without my father were very difficult, but now I am most happy to be able to proudly say that I had a proud father." The Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team plans to hold a ‘Heroic Return Ceremony’ this month in consultation with the bereaved family, and afterwards, the remains will be interred at the National Cemetery.