Remains of 2 more Korean War soldiers identified

The remains of two more South Korean soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War have been identified, years after their discovery, the defense ministry said Friday.

The ministry's Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification identified the remains of Lee Yeong-jo and Son Myeong-man, recovered in 2005 and 2016, respectively, through recent DNA analysis based on samples provided by their families. KIA stands for killed in action.

Lee held the rank equivalent to the current corporal, while Son was a private first class.

Lee's remains were found at a mass grave in a mountainous area in Pohang, 262 kilometers southeast of Seoul. He joined the military in August 1950 before being killed in a battle in the area against North Korean troops the next month at the age of 19.

Son's remains were recovered in Gyeongju, 277 km southeast of the capital, after their initial discovery at a construction site. He is also thought to have been killed in the same battle as Lee at the age of 22.

South Korea has so far identified the remains of 219 service members killed in the conflict since it launched the excavation project in 2000. (Yonhap)