Preparations are well underway to repatriate from North Korea... the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War.
There's hopes that the bodies could be returned as soon as this week,... and with it mounts speculation that a top U.S. official may visit North Korea.
Kim Min-ji reports.
Work continued over the weekend to repatriate the remains of American soldiers killed in the Korean War... from North Korea.
U.S. Forces Korea confirmed that one hundred temporary wooden caskets have been sent to the border village of Panmunjom to hold the remains,... while separately, 158 metal coffins have been moved to the Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi-do Province -- to which the remains will be transferred.
Given that process,... the remains could be returned to the U.S. some time this week at the earliest.
The repatriation is one of the key pledges to be implemented from the June 12th summit declaration.
And with the U.S. having put great importance and emphasis on the issue,... there's speculation that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could make a visit to the North coinciding with the repatriation.
This could also mean that Pompeo holds talks with North Korean officials to discuss follow-up measures to implement their joint declaration -- also something they agreed to at the summit earlier this month.
That could include drawing up a roadmap to normalize relations between the two sides,... a specific timeline for denuclearization as well as ways to guarantee the regime's security.
Meanwhile, North Korean media have stressed the importance of faithfully implementing the summit agreement with the U.S.,... likely in a call for Washington to do its part... as Pyongyang appears set to go ahead with the repatriation.
Propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said that by implementing the joint statement,... they seek to address the years of tension and hostile relations and open a new era of North Korea-U.S. cooperation.
Another propaganda outlet, DPRK Today, said implementing the joint declaration is the path to securing peace, security and prosperity for the Peninsula and the world.
Kim Min-ji, Arirang News.
