Eight heroes returned by South Korea identified

China has identified eight more Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs among the remains returned from South Korea, bringing the total number of identified heroes to 28, according to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

The newly identified martyrs — Cao Yunchang, Xu Siyuan, Chen Shubin, Xi Genxiang, Fang Jinyao, Zhang Zhiming, Liao Tianliang and Yin Shuqin — died during the battles in Cheorwon county in South Korea's Gangwon province, shortly before the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement in July 1953, the ministry said in a news release.

While two of the fallen warriors — Chen and Xi — were identified through personal seals found with their remains, the other six were confirmed through comprehensive analysis combining historical records of their units, forensic anthropology examinations and relic investigations.

Liu Liwen, an official at the ministry's martyr remains search and identification center, explained that his workers cross-referenced excavation site data, personal effects and military archives to reach preliminary conclusions, and then gave the information to local authorities to find potential relatives and collect DNA samples from them. Final confirmation came through DNA matching between remains and relatives, and the results were verified by experts.

He said that significant technological breakthroughs have enabled such identifications. The national DNA laboratory for martyrs has developed genetic analysis methods such as domestically produced high-throughput sequencing reagents. Meanwhile, researchers selected and tested hundreds of formulations, and now they can extract viable DNA from degraded remains.

The ministry has also established dual DNA databases containing genetic profiles from both remains and probable family members, Liu said.

In another development, the ministry has recently released information about 10 unidentified CPV martyrs returned from South Korea. The public is encouraged to provide tips to veteran affairs authorities.

Led by Peng Dehuai, commander in chief of the CPV, nearly 2.9 million Chinese soldiers fought in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53). More than 197,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians recruited by the CPV died in combat.

South Korea began recovering the remains of the fallen Chinese soldiers in 2000 and started returning them to China in 2014. Since then, it has returned the remains of 981 Chinese soldiers.