Remains of a Korean War veteran who was killed in action just before the 1953 signing of the Armistice Agreement were returned to his family after 72 years.

According to the defense ministry's Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification on Thursday, it has confirmed that the remains found in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province last November were those of the late Private First Class Cho Young-ho.

Born in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province in 1929, Cho was enlisted in January 1953, leaving behind his two daughters, then-aged six and three.

Cho was killed on the battlefield in Cheorwon's Wonnam area on July 18 that year, just nine days before the Armistice signing.

A ceremony for the return of Cho's remains was held on Thursday at the home of the late veteran's sister in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District upon the family's request.

Remains of 256 fallen soldiers have been returned to their families since the government launched the recovery and identification project in April 2000.