Vice President Mike Pence will personally receive the remains of fallen soldiers from the Korean War on August 1 in Hawaii, his office announced in a Friday statement.
The remains of 55 American service members were released by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after the recent summit between himself and President Donald Trump.
There are approximately 5,300 U.S. service-member remains in North Korea that have yet to return home.
“At this moment, a plane is carrying the remains of some great fallen heroes from America back from the Korean War. They’re coming back to the United States. Mike Pence, our wonderful vice president, will be there to greet the families and the remains,” Trump said during a news conference Friday morning.
The agreement is “deeply meaningful to so many families across America and demonstrated once again the President’s unwavering commitment to the courageous men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States,” according to the Vice President, who noted that his own father is a Korean War combat veteran.
“Today’s actions represent a significant first step to recommence the repatriation of remains from North Korea and to resume field operations in North Korea to search for the estimated 5,300 Americans who have not yet returned home,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
July 27 marks the 65th anniversary of the armistice that ended the war.