HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. military is beginning the painstaking process of analyzing remains from the Korean War now that they are back on American soil after having been handed over by North Korea last week.
The homecoming comes 65 years after an armistice ended the conflict and weeks after President Donald Trump received a commitment from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for their return.
The bones' return was part of an agreement reached during a June summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Pence said Trump was grateful Kim kept his word.
"We see today as tangible progress in our efforts to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula," Pence said at the ceremony.
During the summit, Kim also agreed to "work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" in return for Trump's promise of security guarantees. Trump later suspended annual military drills with South Korea which North Korea had long called an invasion rehearsal.
Kim Yong-Ho reported from Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.