SEOUL, July 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korea welcomed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s repatriation of U.S. soldiers killed during the Korean War, calling it a meaningful move in building mutual trust between the DPRK and the United States.
A U.S. military transport aircraft carrying the 55 remains of U.S. troops killed in the 1950-53 war arrived in a military base in South Korea Friday, after visiting the DPRK's eastern region earlier in the day.
After the arrival, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it very much welcomed the return, a humanitarian measure that can contribute to healing the scars of the war dead and the bereaved families.
The statement said it was a meaningful move in helping build mutual trust between Pyongyang and Washington as the return was part of the agreement reached between top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump at their Singapore summit on June 12.
Under the agreement, Kim and Trump agreed to commit to recovering the remains of prisoners of war and those missing in action during the Korean War, including an immediate repatriation of those already identified.
The Seoul ministry said it anticipated the parties concerned, who wish to enhance peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, speed up efforts further.
It noted that it would continue to talk with the DPRK side to let the remains of South Korean soldiers killed in the Korean War be returned as early as possible through the excavation with the DPRK.