U.S. prepares proposal to resume joint recovery of Korean War remains in North Korea

The United States is preparing to propose that North Korea resume joint operations to recover and identify the remains of U.S. service members killed during the Korean War, as President Donald Trump repeatedly signals interest in meeting Kim Jong Un.

Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said the White House had asked what DPAA could do if Trump reached an agreement with the North Korean leader. He made the remarks during a video discussion with the National Committee on North Korea in Washington.

McKeague said DPAA had prepared a detailed plan for returning to the field, drawing on the joint recovery model previously used in North Korea. The agency handles the search, recovery, identification and repatriation of U.S. military remains.

Under the proposed arrangement, two recovery teams would work in Unsan, North Pyongan province, and Jangjin, South Hamgyong province. Each team would conduct four operations a year, with every operation lasting 45 days. McKeague said North Korea was also familiar with the proposed approach.

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North Korea is also familiar with the approach. We proposed to the White House deploying two recovery teams to Unsan in North Pyongan province and Jangjin in South Hamgyong province, operating four times a year for 45 days each time.