The South Korean military has launched a yearlong campaign to search for the families of soldiers killed in action(KIA) during the Korean War.

According to the defense ministry's Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification on Monday, the search will be conducted by 243 municipal governments nationwide through the end of the year.

The agency estimates that there are around 130-thousand soldiers that are either unaccounted for or whose remains have yet to be identified, with genetic samples from family members of only around 86-thousand-588 casualties on file so far.

The agency plans to search for the addresses of living family members through the preserved records of the soldiers and their families to secure genetic samples in person.

Out of eleven-thousand-279 genetic samples gathered last year, 74-point-nine percent were collected in-person.

Samples can be collected from direct descendents as well as paternal and maternal relatives extending to third cousins.