Here is the latest on the drawn out return of remains from US servicemembers during the Korean War by North Korea:
Marines of the First Marine Division pay their respects to fallen buddies during memorial services at the division’s cemetery at Hamhung, Korea, following the break-out from Chosin Reservoir, December 13, 1950. Cpl. Uthe. (Marine Corps)
The United States and North Korea have agreed to hold talks Sunday to discuss the repatriation of American troops’ remains from the 1950-53 Korean War, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said.
Heather Nauert said in a statement that the North Koreans proposed the date Thursday after a meeting expected the same day failed to materialize.
“Vice Chairman Kim Yong-chol agreed in his dialogue with Secretary Pompeo to have his team meet with an American team in Panmunjom on or around July 12th to move forward with the repatriation of American service members’ remains,” the spokeswoman said. “Mid day July 12th they contacted us and offered to meet on July 15th. We will be ready.” (……….)
About 200 sets of remains are expected to be returned through the inter-Korean border to the United Nations Command (UNC), which oversees the cease-fire that ended the Korean War.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said earlier that the UNC would receive the remains, not the South Korean or U.S. militaries alone, because all 21 nations that fought under the U.N. flag alongside South Korea and the U.S. lost troops in the conflict.
There was widespread speculation that Pompeo would return with the remains following his visit to Pyongyang, but that did not happen. Once the remains cross the inter-Korean border, they will be moved to the U.S. air base in Osan, south of Seoul, and then to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii for forensic identification.
The level of the meeting Sunday was not immediately known.
North Korea has reportedly proposed holding general-level military talks with the UNC over the repatriation of remains, sources here said Thursday, after it failed to show up at the meeting earlier that day.
With the meeting not taking place, the UNC reportedly made a phone call and North Koreans responded by saying that they needed to upgrade the “level” of the talks.
“North Korea apparently wants a U.S. general to appear at the table to quickly finalize the repatriation issue,” the source said. “It is likely that military generals from the U.S. and North Korea will take part in the meeting.”
The UNC told the U.S. Defense Ministry about North Korea’s proposal and is waiting for Washington’s answer, the source added.
“We have to see the U.S. Defense Ministry’s response, but the UNC reportedly gave a positive signal to North Korea, so there is a good chance of the talks taking place on Sunday,” the source said.
If realized, they will be the first general-level military talks between North Korea and the UNC since March 2009. [Jong Ang Ilbo]
So nk wants this magnanomous gesture and a GO to grovel before the cameras while a truckload of gold sneaks North. If relations with nk weren’t such a tragedy I would be lmao. As always, the jokes on us. Yeah, and happened with 200 already returned?
guitard
6 years ago
I have a buddy who works at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Hawaii. He told me that no one at his office believes the North has 200 sets of remains just waiting to be handed over to the Americans. If they did, they would have told us about them long ago and been working hard to scam the Americans for as much as possible. He suspects the Norks are going to show up Sunday and say, “200 sets of remains? No problem! We’ll start digging for them right away. But you’ll need to advance us $50K per set and provide the following equipment” (see attached laundry list that includes backhoes, trucks, fuel requirements, etc.).
J6Junkie
6 years ago
I pity the General who has to pander to the Fatty Regime officials to get the ball rolling.
Guitard, I think your buddy is probably right. When this issue first came up we discussed how the Norks don’t do anything for free and how the war remains has long been a revenue generating cottage industry for them. I think it is also plausible they are using the war remains issue as a sanctions relief bargaining chip as well.
And of course the NorK Propaganda Mill will portray it as “US General grovels at the feet of the Great Leader, like a dog begging for a treat.”
I had a different word at the end of the previous sentence, but that would probably have been regarded as tasteless.
Did I miss something? Several weeks ago, Trump tweeted that the north Koreans ALREADY had sent back 200 sets of remains and that our heros were home.
Another non-sequitor tweet from the guy under the bridge?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b5mEueIFNMU/UjeNnwmCHrI/AAAAAAAACj0/qULbdl7E0Hw/s1600/wallpaper.jpg
So nk wants this magnanomous gesture and a GO to grovel before the cameras while a truckload of gold sneaks North. If relations with nk weren’t such a tragedy I would be lmao. As always, the jokes on us. Yeah, and happened with 200 already returned?
I have a buddy who works at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Hawaii. He told me that no one at his office believes the North has 200 sets of remains just waiting to be handed over to the Americans. If they did, they would have told us about them long ago and been working hard to scam the Americans for as much as possible. He suspects the Norks are going to show up Sunday and say, “200 sets of remains? No problem! We’ll start digging for them right away. But you’ll need to advance us $50K per set and provide the following equipment” (see attached laundry list that includes backhoes, trucks, fuel requirements, etc.).
I pity the General who has to pander to the Fatty Regime officials to get the ball rolling.
Guitard, I think your buddy is probably right. When this issue first came up we discussed how the Norks don’t do anything for free and how the war remains has long been a revenue generating cottage industry for them. I think it is also plausible they are using the war remains issue as a sanctions relief bargaining chip as well.