Chinese Y-20 Aircraft Embarks on Mission to Repatriate CPV Martyrs' Remains

A Y-20 transport airplane representing the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force recently took flight from an airport in Central China. Its purpose was to begin the mission of collecting the remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers, who are remembered as martyrs from the Korean War, from South Korea. This operation follows an agreement between China’s Ministry of Veterans Affairs and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense to transfer the remains and related belongings.

To honor the memory of the fallen heroes, the PLA Air Force made several adjustments to the aircraft. The cabin was reconfigured to accommodate the solemnity of the repatriation, including the installation of a coffin support frame, the application of anti-collision rubber strips, the hanging of the national flag, and the placement of a military green carpet. A comprehensive cleaning of the entire cabin was also performed prior to departure to ensure the highest respect for the martyrs.

In addition to the repatriation mission, the PLA Air Force is deploying two J-20 stealth fighter jets to escort the aircraft carrying the remains as it reenters Chinese airspace. This operation is part of a long-standing tradition since 2015, with the PLA Air Force conducting annual missions to retrieve the remains of CPV martyrs from South Korea. Since 2020, the Y-20 aircraft has been exclusively used for this solemn duty, marking this as the 10th such mission.