N. Korea, U.S. to resume joint excavations

Asian Economic News, April 5, 1999

SEOUL, April 2 Kyodo North Korea and the United States will resume joint excavations on April 20 to search for the remains of U.S. soldiers who died during the 1950-1953 Korean War, Yonhap News Agency reported Friday. Quoting an unnamed South Korean government official, Yonhap said the excavations will take place at Kujang and Woonsan in North Pyongan Province.

The excavations will be the first of the six rounds the U.S. and North Korea have agreed to during their bilateral talks, the report said. The official also said the U.S. increased the amount it will pay this year for one round of excavation work to 209,000 dollars from last year's 134,400 dollars. The amount is mainly to cover the wages and food expenses of North Korean workers. The U.S. and North Korea began their joint remains recovery operations in the North in 1996.