North Korea will turn over to the United States 19 sets of remains thought to be those of U.S. soldiers who died in the Korean War.

The remains were excavated by joint U.S.-North Korea search teams near the Chosin Reservoir and in Unsan County in the north of the communist country.

The remains will be handed over to the U.S. military authorities in South Korea at the truce village of Panmunjom on Thursday and will then be flown to the Hickham Air Force base in Hawaii for forensic identification.

Of the 19 sets of remains, 12 are believed to be those of U.S Army soldiers from the 7th Infantry Division, which fought Chinese forces in the winter of 1950. Seven sets were found in Unsan County, the site of battles between communist forces and the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry and 25th Infantry Division.

Over 8100 U.S. soldiers are still missing in action from the Korean War that ended in 1953.