WASHINGTON -- The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington will undergo an extensive renewal that will add a complete list of those killed in battles, including Korean augmentees to the US Army or KATUSA, the Korean Embassy here said Monday.

The work to add a list of some 43,000 Korean War veterans killed in battle will begin on Tuesday.

The $22 million project is expected to take 18 months, according to embassy officials.

The newest addition to the memorial will have a list of some 36,000 US service members killed in action during the 1950-53 war, along with those of about 7,000 KATUSA soldiers.

"It has a special meaning in that engraving a list of those killed in battle will commemorate those who sacrificed for our country and also help strengthen the South Korea-US alliance," an embassy official said.

The project is partly funded by the South Korean government.

The US had sent more than 300,000 soldiers to Korea to help defend South Korea from communist North Korea. (Yonhap)