The Ministry of National Defense's remains excavation and identification team, hereinafter referred to as the National Remains Recovery Team, revealed on the 8th the first completed case of face restoration for the remains of a 6·25 war casualty (skull). This is the result of a project promoted through a memorandum of understanding with the National Forensic Service.
The restored face belongs to Sergeant Song Young-hwan, who was identified as the 238th casualty last October after being excavated in Mangsang-dong, Donghae, Gangwon Province, in 2013. His daughter, Song Jae-sook (76), noted that she was only 3 years old when her father passed away at the age of 26 in March 1951, so she does not remember him.
On the occasion of Parents' Day, the National Remains Recovery Team invited Song Jae-sook and presented her with a thank-you plaque honoring her father's dedication to the Republic of Korea along with the completed '2D standard portrait' based on the remains of her late father, Sergeant Song Young-hwan. On this day, she placed a carnation in front of the portrait, seeing her father for the first time.
It took 62 years for the remains of the late Sergeant Song Young-hwan, who participated in the Korean War, to be discovered after being buried in the ground, and it took an additional 11 years for identification. After 11 months of joint efforts by the National Remains Recovery Team and the National Forensic Service, the face of the late Sergeant Song Young-hwan was restored. A commendation was also awarded to the National Forensic Service officials who worked hard on the face restoration over several months.
Lee Geun-won, the head of the National Remains Recovery Team, said, "Restoring the face of a national hero not only honors those who devoted their lives to protecting the country but also provides comfort to the bereaved families," and added, "We will continue to work closely with the National Forensic Service to ensure that 6·25 war casualties can regain their faces during their lifetime."