President Trump thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for his “kind action” in beginning the process of sending back the remains of U.S. soldiers who perished in the Korean War to American soil.
“Thank you to Chairman Kim Jong Un for keeping your word & starting the process of sending home the remains of our great and beloved missing fallen! I am not at all surprised that you took this kind action,” Trump tweeted Thursday morning. “Also, thank you for your nice letter – l look forward to seeing you soon!”
Thank you to Chairman Kim Jong Un for keeping your word & starting the process of sending home the remains of our great and beloved missing fallen! I am not at all surprised that you took this kind action. Also, thank you for your nice letter – l look forward to seeing you soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2018
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed that Trump and Kim have maintained communication since their June summit in Singapore.
“The ongoing correspondence between the two leaders is aimed at following up on their meeting in Singapore and advancing the commitments made in the US-DPRK joint statement,” Sanders said.
Vice President Mike Pence received the possible remains on Wednesday in Hawaii of American service members who died in the war 60 years ago. North Korea sent 55 flag-draped caskets to Honolulu, where they will be analyzed for identification.
“Whosoever emerges from these aircraft today begins a new season of hope for the families of our missing fallen,” Pence said at a ceremony before the remains were delivered. “Hope that those who are lost will yet be found. Hope that after so many years of questions, they will have closure.”
The U.S. military’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identifies remains of servicemen killed in past conflicts, usually using bones, teeth, and DNA to identify remains. Only one dog tag was provided when U.S. soldiers picked up the 55 caskets in a rare trip into North Korea last week.
In the past, North Korea has used the remains as a bargaining chip with the U.S., asking for something in return.
