S. Korea resumes Korean War remains excavation at DMZ’s White Horse Ridge

South Korea resumed excavation of Korean War remains at White Horse Ridge inside the Demilitarized Zone on Wednesday, the Defense Ministry said, marking the continuation of a project tied to inter-Korean confidence-building efforts.

The site, located in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, saw some of the fiercest fighting during the 1950-53 Korean War. In October 1952, South Korean forces and Chinese troops fought a series of intense engagements there, leaving many soldiers killed or missing, with their remains believed to still lie in the area.

The excavation effort, involving troops from the Army’s 5th Infantry Division and the ministry’s Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification, will proceed in phases, beginning with mine clearance and securing safe access routes, followed by surveys and full-scale recovery operations.

The ministry said it is closely coordinating with the United Nations Command, which oversees activities in the DMZ under the Korean War Armistice, on the resumption of the work.

The project is part of the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, formally known as the Sept. 19 military accord, which included provisions to halt hostile activities along the border and pursue joint excavation of war remains in the DMZ.

South Korea initially launched such efforts at Arrowhead Ridge in 2019 and later expanded operations to White Horse Ridge. While the original plan envisioned joint excavation with North Korea, the work has been carried out solely by the South.

The excavation program at White Horse Ridge was suspended in 2022 under the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, citing safety concerns amid worsening inter-Korean relations.

It was resumed in October under the Lee Jae Myung government as part of broader efforts to ease tensions and rebuild trust with the North.

A ministry official said detailed plans for this year’s operation had been coordinated with relevant agencies, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the United Nations Command.

The military recovered 92 sets of remains from the area during previous excavation campaigns.

“The government will continue efforts to recover the remains of those who gave their lives in the war and return them to their families,” the ministry said, describing the mission as a solemn national duty.