The South Korean government will conduct a comprehensive review of unclaimed war dead interred at national cemeteries, including Seoul National Cemetery, to identify and formally recognize them as persons of national merit.
The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced the joint review plan Tuesday.
The initiative aims to allow the state to directly identify and honor fallen soldiers who sacrificed for the country but were never registered as persons of national merit due to the absence of surviving family members, inconsistencies in records, or insufficient documentation.
With cooperation from relevant agencies, the government plans to cross-check basic records, including military records held by the Army Headquarters and family registry documents maintained by local governments, to verify identities as thoroughly as possible.
The review will first cover unclaimed war dead at Seoul National Cemetery. It will then be expanded to Daejeon National Cemetery and 19 state-managed burial sites across the country.
When sufficient evidence exists to recognize an individual as a person of national merit but no surviving family members are available to file an application, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will proceed with the registration ex officio under the relevant laws.
"We will do our utmost to find even the forgotten fallen soldiers who left behind nothing but their names and service numbers, so that every one of them can receive the proper honors they deserve," said Kwon Oh-eul, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.
Jeong Il-yeon, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, said, "We will do our best to build a nation where sacrifice and dedication for the country and community are properly rewarded and to establish the value of honoring our veterans."
