Donald Trump has thanked North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un for sending the suspected remains of US soldiers killed in the Korean War back to the United States.
“Thank you to Chairman Kim Jong Un for keeping your word & starting the process of sending home the remains of our great and beloved missing fallen! I am not at all surprised that you took this kind action,” the US President wrote in a tweet.
“Also, thank you for your nice letter – I look forward to seeing you soon!”, Mr Trump said, without elaborating.
Mr Kim sent a letter to Mr Trump in mid-July in which the North Korean leader said he hoped there would be a second meeting between the two, but it was unclear if that was the “nice letter” to which he was referring to.
The pledge to return the remains of US soldiers was made during a landmark summit between the leaders in June in Singapore, where North Korea committed to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
Vice President Mike Pence presided over the return of the remains in an emotional ceremony in Hawaii on Wednesday.
Members of the US military carried 55 boxes draped with American flags off C-17 aircraft and into a hangar at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
“I know that President Trump is grateful that Chairman Kim has kept his word, and we see today this tangible progress in our efforts to achieve peace on the Korean peninsula,” said Mr Pence, whose father fought in the Korean War.
The remains will be taken to a laboratory at the base for identification and experts say the process could take anything from days to decades.
More than 7,700 US troops remain unaccounted for from the 1950-53 Korea War. About 5,300 were lost in what is now North Korea.