Remains of Turkish soldiers killed in Korean War returned home after over 70 years

After the remains of four Turkish soldiers who were killed during the Korean War of 1950-1953 were found, their remains have been returned to the country, Türkiye’s ambassador to South Korea has announced. 

Murat Tamer told Anadolu that under a 2011 deal between the US and North Korea, excavations in the Kunuri region – where the heaviest Turkish casualties took place during the war – had uncovered many bones and war remnants.

This region in North Korea was the site of some of the fiercest battles. 

Türkiye contributed the fourth-largest number of troops to the Korean War, with four brigades and a total of 21,212 soldiers.

Among the 16 participating countries, Türkiye also bore the third-largest number of casualties, with some 900 fallen soldiers or missing in action.

The UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea is home to the remains of 462 Turkish soldiers who fell in battle. 

Tamer said the four newly discovered remains were sent to a research center in the US state of Hawaii for examination and reassembly, where genetic testing was conducted.