Remains of Chinese soldiers killed in Korean War returned

South Korea on Thursday returned the remains of 36 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War.

A transfer ceremony was held in South Korea's Incheon International Airport, Xinhua news agency reported.

The coffins and belongings of the fallen soldiers were officially handed over to a Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister of Civil Affairs Dou Yupei.

The Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong covered the coffins with China's national flag, and a brief memorial service was held before the remains were flown home by a Chinese military plane.

In 2014-2015, South Korea returned the remains of 505 Chinese soldiers, and Thursday's handover was the third one since 2014.

"The repatriation of remains has become a new opportunity to cleanse war-wrought scars and to take the friendship between South Korea and China one step further," South Korea's defense ministry said in a statement.

During the Korean War, which saw North and South Korea locked in bloody conflict, China intervened on behalf of its Communist ally in Pyongyang, while the US along with several other countries intervened to help South Korea.