Remains Presumed to Be Korean War Soldiers Unearthed at Seoul Apartment Site

Remains Excavated in Seoul for the First Time in 15 Years
2 Sets of Remains and 7 Personal Items Recovered

The Ministry of National Defense's Remains Recovery and Identification Unit announced on the 21st that it conducted a two-day excavation of the remains of soldiers who died in the Korean War at an apartment construction site in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, starting from the 13th. The unit identified and recovered 2 sets of remains and 7 personal items over the two days.

This excavation began with a phone call received on the 12th from the apartment construction site. At the time, a construction company employee operating an excavator at the site called the unit, saying, "During the apartment construction on the site of the Defense Command, bones and military boots were found together," and added, "They appear to be quite old, so I reported it thinking they might be remains of soldiers who died in the Korean War."

In response, the unit requested a halt to construction at the location where the remains were found and dispatched an investigation and excavation team to the site starting the next day, the 13th. Since the remains recovery project began in April 2000, this is the third time remains have been excavated in downtown Seoul. In 2007, remains were excavated in a nearby mountain at Isu Intersection (Dongjak-gu), and in 2010, at the Sayuksin Historical Park (Dongjak-gu) near the current construction site where the remains were found.

The area where the unit excavated and recovered remains this time is believed to be the site of the 1950 "Hangang Defense Line Battle (June 28 to July 3)." The Hangang Defense Line Battle was fought by the Republic of Korea Army's mixed 7th Division to block the North Korean 4th Division, which was conducting a crossing operation.

Considering the composition of the remains and personal items excavated this time, the unit estimates that they belong to soldiers of the Republic of Korea Army. Going forward, the unit plans to carry out detailed identification of the remains and proceed with procedures for confirming identity, including comparative analysis of genetic samples from the families of the deceased.

Lee Geun-won, head of the unit, said, "This is an example proving that even in places where we enjoy ordinary daily life, there were brutal battles just 75 years ago, and national heroes may be resting there. We ask for the interest and cooperation of the public so that we can reunite these individuals with their families as soon as possible."