EXCAVATION PROJECT

[Anchor Lead]

South and North Korea had agreed earlier to conduct joint excavations of war remains in the demilitarized zone. Last month, the South Korean army launched an excavation first, unearthing the remains of scores of soldiers who perished in bloody battles during the Korean War. We take you to Cheorwon Gangwondo Province for the details.

[Pkg]

Just five hundred meters south of the military demarcation line... ...stretches Hwasalmeori Hill, shaped like an arrowhead. For the first time since the Korean War, the excavation of wartime remains is underway. Soldiers at the top of the hill unearth the remains, while those at the bottom remove landmines. A deformed and rusty helmet and parts of the skull are unearthed for the first time in 65 years. They are presumed to belong to a soldier who perished in the brutal battle on the hill.

[Soundbite] "Undergarments and other clothes with buttons were used by the allied forces."

Traces of the fierce battle were also found in a cave encampment where soldiers tried to hide during bombing raids. Some 300 Korean, American and French soldiers died here. There are also countless remains of enemy soldiers. Over two months of excavation efforts, more than 320 sets of remains and 24,000 items belonging to the perished soldiers have been found. However, North Korea has yet to keep its promise to conduct joint excavations. Instead, the North Korean army has set up makeshift guard posts to monitor the excavation process carried out by South Korean service members. In the meantime, the remains of those who died on the northern side of Hwasalmeori Hill are still buried in the cold land.