Volunteer Soldiers' Remains Coming Home: Veterans pay respect at Martyrs Cemetery in Shenyang

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On Wednesday, South Korean authorities would return some of the remains of the fallen Chinese soldiers in the Korean war of 1950. Over 190 thousand Chinese volunteer soldiers died in the conflict. The repatriation would happen for a sixth straight year, bringing families and war survivors some closure. CGTN's Guan Yang reports.

Paying tribute to fallen soldiers. 88-year-old Ma Shixun, who survived the Korean War, says he'll never forget the sacrifices that his comrades-in-arms made.

He joined the Chinese volunteer army in 1951 and served in the logistics department, one of the hottest targets of the enemy's aerial bombing.

MA SHIXUN VETERAN "'Are you all sure of what you're signing up for? Think twice!' My instructor asked us at the recruitment. I almost lost my life after one bombing because the fire couldn't be put out in our unit."

As part of the consensus reached by China and South Korea in 2013, remains of Chinese Volunteer soldiers who served in the Korean War will be returned to China on a yearly basis.

So far, 589 sets have come in. They include everything from shoes and stamps to skeletal remains. They've all been buried here in Shenyang.

LI XIANGHUI, CO-PILOT PLA AIRFORCE "Though the war ended 66 years ago, for today's soldiers we must never forget the sacrifices of those who died, and to treat them as spiritual role models."

GUAN YANG SHENYANG "More than 190 thousand Chinese Volunteer Soldiers died during the Korean War, but very few were buried in China. And the hard-won peace they died for will never be forgotten."

MA SHIXUN VETERAN "Since 1993, I have come to the cemetery on my own every year just before tomb sweeping festival. At first, it was spontaneous. Nowadays though there are fewer and fewer living veterans, so we come to pay respects in groups."

After the previous return last year, the newly formed Ministry of Veterans Affairs, following the structural reform of China's State Council, is taking charge of the settlement of the remains for the Chinese Volunteer Soldiers.

LI LIANSHENG, DIVISION CHIEF OF COMMEMORATION OFFICE LIAONING BUREAU, MINISTRY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS "10 sets of remains will be returned on this Wednesday but their identities are still unknown. After the burial service, we will work on the establishment of digital archives for the remains returned."

So far, only 24 sets of the 589 returned have been identified. As for the rest, veterans like Ma Shixun can only regard them as their comrades-in-arms. GUAN YANG, CGTN.