Mayor Kim Sang-don Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony for Moraksanmajor Battle Remains Excavation Project in Uiwang

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Mayor Kim Sang-don of Uiwang attended the ‘2020 Uiwang Moraksanmajor Battle Remains Excavation Project Groundbreaking Ceremony’ held on the 14th at the Reserve Forces Training Ground in Naeson-dong, Uiwang, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War (June 25).

Excavation work will be conducted for one month from the 18th of this month through the 19th of next month in the Sanagol area of Ojeon-dong and the Songol area of Naeson 1-dong at the foot of Moraksanmajor.

The ‘Uiwang Moraksanmajor Battle’ was a victorious battle fought by the Army’s 1st Division 15th Regiment over four days from January 30 to February 3, 1951, against a Chinese Communist regiment during the Korean War. This prevented the enemy’s attempt to block UN forces’ northward advance south of the Han River and established a bridgehead for the recapture of Seoul, which had been ceded during the January 4 retreat.

Mayor Kim encouraged those involved in remains excavation, urged the safety of participating soldiers, and delivered 1,200 protective masks for quarantine purposes.

He further stated, “The civil, government, and military sectors are wisely overcoming COVID-19, which can be likened to a national crisis,” and expressed hope that “with one patriotic spirit, we may wish that even the last person can be embraced in the bosom of the homeland,” hoping for success in the remains excavation project.

Last year, the Ministry of National Defense and the 51st Division conducted remains excavation work around Moraksanmajor, achieving results in excavating 6 sets of remains and 196 items of South Korean military belongings. This year, the goal is to excavate 5 or more sets of remains.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense’s Remains Investigation and Identification Team is conducting genetic testing to identify fallen soldiers and locate their bereaved families. Since April of last year, a system was introduced that provides rewards of up to 10 million won to bereaved families who have contributed to identity confirmation.

Currently, the Ministry of National Defense holds approximately 50,000 genetic samples from bereaved families; however, considering the total number of approximately 135,000 unaccounted-for fallen soldiers and missing persons from the Korean War, there is a significant shortage.

The targets for sample collection are any relatives within the eighth degree of kinship of fallen soldiers, and the accuracy of identification increases the closer the blood relation.

Bereaved families of fallen soldiers wishing to provide genetic samples can contact the Ministry of National Defense’s Remains Investigation and Identification Team (1577-5625 / 02-811-6574,5) or local public health centers nationwide, including the Uiwang City Health Center (031-345-3571).