North America

North Korea returns remains of 200 US soldiers

North Korea has returned the remains of 200 American troops killed during the Korean War, US President Donald Trump says.

US President Donald Trump has said the remains of American troops missing from the Korean War were in the process of being returned to the United States from North Korea, correcting a statement he made a day earlier.

Trump, who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at an historic summit in Singapore earlier this month, had said the remains of 200 American servicemen had been sent back.

"We got back our great fallen heroes, the remains sent back today, already 200 got sent back," Trump told a crowd of supporters during a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday.

But two US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that while North Korea was expected to return the remains of soldiers in the coming days, they had not yet been returned.

On Thursday, Trump clarified the situation at a Cabinet meeting, saying: "I understand ... that they've already sent back or are in the process of sending back the remains of our great heroes who died in North Korea during the war."

It was reported earlier this week that North Korea could start the process of handing over the remains of troops, including Americans, within the next few days.

One of the officials said a "sizable number" of remains were expected to be handed over.

The official said it was difficult to tell exactly how many would be US troops as they would require forensic testing to determine their identity.

About 7,700 US military personnel remain unaccounted from the 1950-1953 Korean War, US military data shows.

According to the Pentagon, North Korean officials have indicated in the past that they have the remains of as many as 200 US troops. More than 36,500 US troops died in the conflict.

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Published 22 June 2018 at 6:52am, updated 22 June 2018 at 10:01am
Source: AAP