The Latest: US prepares coffins for Korean War remains

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of – The Latest on preparations for the return of the remains of U.S. soldiers who have been missing since the Korean War (all times local):

10:05 p.m.

The U.S. military says it has moved 100 wooden coffins to the inter-Korean border to prepare for North Korea’s returning of the remains of American soldiers who have been missing since the 1950-53 Korean War.

U.S. Forces Korea spokesman Col. Chad Carroll also said Saturday that the military sent 158 metal transfer cases to a U.S. air base near South Korea’s capital and will potentially use them to send the remains home.

U.S. Forces Korea says the 100 wooden “temporary transit cases” sent to the Joint Security Area at the border were part of preparations to “receive and transport remains in a dignified manner when we get the call to do so.”

North Korea agreed to send home U.S. war remains during the June 12 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.

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6 p.m.

The U.S. military says it is moving “assets” to a U.S. air base near South Korea’s capital and to the inter-Korean border to prepare for North Korea’s returning of the remains of U.S. soldiers who have been missing since the 1950-53 Korean War.

But U.S. Forces Korea spokesman Col. Chad Carroll denied a report by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency that U.S. military vehicles carrying more than 200 caskets were planning to cross into North Korea on Saturday afternoon.

North Korea agreed to send home U.S. war remains during the June 12 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.

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3:15 p.m.

South Korean media say the U.S. military plans to send 215 caskets to North Korea through a border village so that the North could begin the process of returning the remains of U.S. soldiers who have been missing since the 1950-53 Korean War.

Officials from the United States Forces Korea and South Korea’s Defence Ministry on Saturday did not immediately return calls for comment.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency cited an unnamed source as saying that about 30 U.S. military vehicles carrying the caskets were expected to cross into the North on Saturday afternoon.

North Korea agreed to send home U.S. war remains during a June 12 meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.