Army 2nd Armored Brigade begins excavation of remains of June 25th soldiers killed in Paju

“Bring them into the arms of their motherland!”

Soldiers' slogans rang out at the foot of the mountain, filled with the cool autumn air.

On the morning of the 10th, about 150 soldiers from the Army's 2nd Armored Brigade Yongho Battalion and the Ministry of National Defense's Remains Excavation and Identification Team began excavating the remains of those killed in the Korean War at Hill 367, Bihobong Yeongri, Gwangtan-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do.

They gathered at a parking lot near the hill at around 8:30 a.m. on this day and began climbing the mountain along the forest road, putting basic items such as drinking water in their backpacks.

After hiking for about 15 minutes, we arrived at the excavation site, next to a placard that said, ‘This path you are currently walking on is the site of a battle where senior comrades risked their lives 70 years ago.’

The soldiers gathered in front of the Taegeukgi saluted and said a moment of silence, then vigorously chanted, “Bring them into the arms of their country.”

This is a fierce battlefield where the delta defense line battle and the operation to secure a reconnaissance base took place against the Chinese army's 5th offensive in 1951 during the Korean War.

At that time, the ROK Army's 1st Division and the U.S. 3rd Division were deployed here to block the Chinese Army's advance.

Soldiers holding shovels lined up began digging up the soil in the hill area at 9 a.m., following instructions from the field commander.

It was a cool fall morning, with the on-site thermometer reading 13.4 degrees, but the soldiers continued to work while sweating.

When a 20-minute break is given after 40 minutes of work, the Ministry of National Defense's remains excavation and identification team carefully checks piles of dirt or areas where remains may be buried using a metal detector.

On this day, bullet casings and other mementos were also discovered.

The excavation of remains was given added meaning by the participation of two soldiers who were descendants of war veterans.

Private First Class Do Dae-hyeon, whose maternal grandfather was a veteran of the Korean War, said, “Every time I find a keepsake, I think of my grandfather who devoted himself to the country.”

Private First Class Choi Hyuk-jin also added, "As my maternal grandfather was a veteran of the Korean War, this mission to excavate remains is meaningful and touches my heart deeply."

The Army's 2nd Armored Brigade plans to excavate remains here until the 16th of next month, and has so far found one remains believed to be an arm and 150 artifacts, including shell casings and grenades. (Written, photo = Reporter Lim Byeong-sik)