WASHINGTON — U.S. military personnel will travel to North Korea in March to restart efforts to recover the remains of thousands of servicemen missing from the 1950-53 Korean War, the Defense Department said Thursday.
The U.S. and North Korean militaries agreed in October to restart recovery operations in what was seen a sign of easing tensions between the wartime enemies, but they did not announce a date.
A letter from Republican Sen. Richard Lugar to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, however, notes that the agreement sets a March 1 start date. His Jan. 17 letter was obtained by The Associated Press.
Maj. Carie Parker, a spokeswoman for the Defense Department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office, confirmed by e-mail Thursday that the North’s military will begin preparations March 1 for the arrival later that month of a small U.S. advance team that will evaluate conditions and prepare for operations.
The Pentagon estimates 5,500 U.S. servicemen are unaccounted for on North Korean soil.
Denver Post wire services
