Korea, U.S. to sign MOU to expand cooperation on Korean War veterans affairs

Under the agreement, the two sides will promote exchange programs for families of U.S. service members, hold commemorative events and expand cooperation through information sharing and other initiatives.

Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul makes a commemorative speech during a joint memorial ceremony for 1950-53 Korean War veterans at the U.S. military memorial at Imjingak in Paju, Gyeonggi, on May 21.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will sign a preliminary agreement with a U.S. Defense Department agency to expand cooperation on U.S. service members who participated in the 1950-53 Korean War, officials said on Friday.

The ministry said that it will sign a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Omaha on Friday to strengthen cooperation on veterans affairs.

Under the MOU, the two sides will promote exchange programs for the families of U.S. service members who sacrificed their lives during the war, hold commemorative events and expand cooperation through information sharing and other joint initiatives.

The signing ceremony will be attended by about 500 people, including Vice Veterans Minister Kang Yun-jin and family members of prisoners of war and service members who remain missing in action.

More than 1.78 million U.S. troops served during the Korean War. Of them, 36,574 were killed in action, and 7,359 remain unaccounted for, according to the ministry.


Yonhap