The U.S. Department of Defense says that the U.S. is ready for North Korea's return of the remains of American service members killed in the Korean War. 

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning told reporters on Monday that the United Nations Command(UNC) is prepared to receive and repatriate the remains.

The spokesman said that he'd have to defer to the diplomats for any insight on timelines, but the Pentagon is supporting the State Department-led effort to bring back the remains.

The UNC oversees the ceasefire that ended the Korean War. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said earlier that the UNC would receive the remains, not the South Korean or U.S. militaries alone, because all 21 nations that fought under the UN flag alongside South Korea had lost troops in the conflict. 
 
There was widespread speculation that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would return with the remains following his visit to Pyongyang last weekend, but no agreement was reached on the matter.  
 
North Korea and the U.S. are set to hold working-level talks on Thursday at the truce village of Panmunjeom to discuss the repatriation of American soldiers’ remains.

[Photo : KBS News]