South Korea repatriated the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War on Wednesday in a humanitarian move that reflects Seoul's pursuit of forward-looking ties with the former foe.

The two sides held a handover ceremony of the caskets, covered with the Chinese national flag, at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.

"Historically, the repatriation of (soldiers') remains between the two parties involved in a battle is a humanitarian move and also carries a peace message to heal past wounds and move mutual ties forward," the ministry said in a speech.

For South Korea and China, it's a token of their friendly relations and trust that will serve as a stepping stone for forward-looking ties, he added.

South Korea's Defense Minister Song Yong-moo hosted the ceremony, which was also attended by Gao Xiaobing, China's vice minister of civil affairs, and Beijing's Ambassador to Seoul, Qiu Guohong.

During the Korean War, China fought alongside North Korea against South Korea, which was supported by UN forces.

In 2014, South Korea agreed to hand over the remains of Chinese soldiers excavated on its soil each year to their country. It's based on international law and humanitarian spirit.

South Korea transferred the remains of 569 Chinese troops between 2014 and 2017.

Wednesday's handover ceremony was the fifth of its kind. (Yonhap)