S-1 to Assist in Excavation of Remains of Fallen Soldiers from the Korean War

Setting Out to Find Families of National Heroes with the Harm Excavation and Identification Team
Encouraging Family DNA Registration through Deployment Vehicle Sticker Attachment and Leaflet Distribution

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] S-1 (CEO Noh Hee-chan) announced on the 7th that it will promote the excavation of remains of soldiers who died in the Korean War in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team (hereinafter referred to as the National Remains Team) in honor of the Month of Patriots and Veterans. S-1 decided to support promotional activities using its dispatch infrastructure by attaching promotional stickers to its nationwide dispatch vehicles and distributing informational leaflets to customers.

An important aspect of the remains excavation project is the registration of DNA from bereaved families. When remains are excavated, an identification process is conducted by comparing the registered DNA of bereaved families. The more DNA from bereaved families that is secured, the higher the probability of confirming the identity of the remains. Through the remains excavation project, over 12,000 remains of soldiers who died in the Korean War have been recovered so far, but only 164 patriotic heroes have returned to their families. Active DNA registration by bereaved families is urgently needed.

To encourage DNA registration by bereaved families, S-1 has attached informational stickers about the remains excavation project to more than 1,300 dispatch and support vehicles nationwide. Utilizing its service infrastructure, including about 140 offices and over 2,000 dispatch employees nationwide, it is also distributing informational leaflets to 850,000 customers. Additionally, related information is posted on the company’s website and social media channels, raising awareness about the necessity of DNA registration both online and offline.

S-1 and the National Remains Team have been conducting joint promotional activities for five years since 2017. As a result, more than 47,000 bereaved families have participated in DNA registration. Mr. Kim Hak-rak, who lost his older brother in the Korean War, said, "I searched everywhere to find my brother’s remains," adding, "Thanks to an S-1 dispatch officer informing me about the remains excavation project, I was able to participate in DNA registration, and now I can wait with peace of mind."

An S-1 official stated, "As a socially responsible company, we will actively support patriotic heroes returning to their families," and added, "We will continue to discover various social contribution activities utilizing our nationwide dispatch infrastructure."