Chinese guard of honor carry the remains of Chinese volunteer soldiers killed in the Korean War in Incheon, South Korea, March 28, 2018. South Korea on Wednesday returned more remains of Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)
INCHEON, South Korea, March 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Wednesday returned more remains of Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War.
The transfer ceremony was held at the Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of the capital Seoul, to hand over the remains of 20 Chinese volunteer soldiers killed in the war.
During the ceremony, South Korean troops handed over the coffins to Chinese soldiers, which carried them, covered by China's national flag, into an airplane.
It marked the fifth transfer ceremony. Since 2014, South Korea has transferred the remains of 589 Chinese volunteer soldiers killed in the Korean War, including 20 more this year.
Every year, China and South Korea have consulted on the handover of the Chinese soldiers' remains found in South Korea. The transfer has been usually made days before Tomb-sweeping Day, the Chinese holiday for commemorating the dead, in early April.
South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo said at the ceremony that the handover of the remains of Chinese soldiers will become an important foothold for the future-oriented development of the South Korea-China relations as it symbolizes friendly cooperation and trust between the two countries.
Song said the transfer was a good example for people of South Korea and China being a heartfelt, genuine neighbor and friend.
It was the first time that South Korea's defense chief attended the handover ceremony.
The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought alongside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea army in the Korean War against the South Korean army and U.S.-led UN forces between 1950 and 1953.
Almost 200,000 CPV soldiers have been confirmed to have been killed in the war, with most of them buried on the Korean Peninsula.
