SEOUL - North Korea handed over the remains of a British soldier killed during the Korean War 60 years ago, state media reported on Wednesday, in a gesture the North hopes will improve relations with London.
The remains of the soldier, identified by the North's KCNA news agency as Desmond Fredrick William Hinton, were returned to the British side through the truce village of Panmunjom on the border with South Korea.
Kate English, a spokeswoman for the British Embassy in Seoul, said British officials received the remains of the soldier, and they would be sent for forensic analysis for identification.
Britain maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea and sent a representative from its Pyongyang mission to Panmunjom.
KCNA said it was the second time North Korea's military had sent back the remains of a British soldier. In 1995, North Korea had returned the remains of a second-class private of the British army, it said.
Some 58,000 British soldiers joined a U.N. contingent fighting alongside South Korea during the Korean War against invading troops from North Korea and its ally, China.
KCNA said Britain had expressed deep gratitude to North Korea over the repatriation of the remains and said that "such cooperation would mark a good occasion in developing the relations between the two countries".
The remains of the soldier, identified by the North's KCNA news agency as Desmond Fredrick William Hinton, were returned to the British side through the truce village of Panmunjom on the border with South Korea.
Kate English, a spokeswoman for the British Embassy in Seoul, said British officials received the remains of the soldier, and they would be sent for forensic analysis for identification.
Britain maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea and sent a representative from its Pyongyang mission to Panmunjom.
KCNA said it was the second time North Korea's military had sent back the remains of a British soldier. In 1995, North Korea had returned the remains of a second-class private of the British army, it said.
Some 58,000 British soldiers joined a U.N. contingent fighting alongside South Korea during the Korean War against invading troops from North Korea and its ally, China.
KCNA said Britain had expressed deep gratitude to North Korea over the repatriation of the remains and said that "such cooperation would mark a good occasion in developing the relations between the two countries".
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