South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said Friday that the mutual repatriation of Korean War remains between South Korea and the United States is the strongest evidence of their blood-forged alliance, as the two countries held a historic ceremony at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam. The ceremony, held for the first time in South Korea, returned the remains of 10 South Korean service members from Hawaii and three U.S. service members to the United States, marking a milestone in the allies’ ongoing efforts to recover and repatriate soldiers more than 70 years after the war ended.
“Today’s repatriation is a meaningful milestone that deepens and strengthens the South Korea-U.S. alliance, which was built on the blood and dedication of veterans,” Lee said in remarks reported by the South Korean outlet Asia Today and translated by United Press International.
Lee described the repatriation as the most powerful indicator of the alliance’s foundation. “The effort to find not only one’s own warriors but also those of an ally and return them to their families is the most compelling evidence of an alliance forged in blood,” he said.
The president said the ceremony represented a promise to remember those who served. He called the repatriation “the most noble tribute to their sacrifice.” Lee added that “more than 70 years ago, we were able to defend freedom and peace because of the noble sacrifice of heroes who gave their most precious lives to protect the freedom and peace of the Republic of Korea.”
He acknowledged that the work of returning remains is incomplete. “But there are heroes who, long after the war ended, have still not returned to their hometowns,” Lee said. “Returning them fully is the historical duty of those of us who survived.”
Lee linked the repatriation effort to the broader durability of the U.S.-South Korea alliance. “The trust that keeps promises made on the battlefield, even after decades have passed, is the strong root that has supported the South Korea-U.S. alliance,” he said. “With the firm South Korea-U.S. alliance as nourishment, the Republic of Korea is writing a new history of prosperity that amazes the world.”
He called for continued cooperation toward peace and mutual prosperity. “If South Korea and the United States join hands and move unwaveringly toward the future, complete peace will take root on this land and the flower of mutual prosperity will bloom,” Lee said. “We will continue to carry forward, with future generations, the noble history of solidarity for freedom and peace.”
Previous mutual repatriation ceremonies for Korean War remains were held in Hawaii. The shift to South Korea for the latest ceremony underscores the growing bilateral focus on the remains recovery effort, which has been a longstanding priority for both governments.