Search of Remains of the Dead During Vietnam War

The Ministry of National Defense announced on November 30 that it launched a site investigation in Vietnam according to the report by some domestic press that the remains of a Korean soldier who was supposed to be killed during the Vietnam war was found.

A top official of the National Defense Ministry said, “We gave directions to check with the Korean military officer delegated in Vietnam on a press release that a presumed Korean soldier corpse and its belongings were discovered at Anmo Plateau in Vinding Province in Vietnam.” He said that a local Korean military officer would lead the investigation on the site.

In particular, concerning the report that a black name tag was found among the belongings, the official backed up its possibility, saying, “The non-commissioned officers who participated in the war back then used name tags with a yellow color on a black background.”

The Defense Ministry official said part of the remains will be brought to the nation if they are proved to be part of the Korean army. The Defense Ministry is also planning to operate additional excavation, bring the body back, and bury it in the country, if it is revealed to be the remains of the dead Korean soldier.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com