A 18-year-old hero who fought for his country only six days after enlisting during the Korean War has finally returned to his family. The Ministry of National Defense’s excavation team identified the remains found in October 2000 in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, as Private Ju Young-jin of the 7th Infantry Division. This brings the total number of identified fallen soldiers since the excavation project began in April 2000 to 251.
Born in February 1928 in Ganghwa County, Incheon, Ju was the youngest of five sons. Raised in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, he was known for his strong sense of justice and leadership, even serving as a training regiment leader in school. When the Korean War broke out, he and his friends walked to Namwon to enlist as student soldiers despite his father’s protest due to his young age.
After joining the student soldiers at Daegu’s first training center in August 1950, Ju was deployed to the frontline with insufficient training. He bravely fought in the “Giheung-Angang Battle” and was killed in action just six days later. The excavation team tracked down his family in 2022 through meticulous research and DNA analysis.
The “Return of the Hero” event was held at the home of Ju’s nephew, Joo Myung-sik, in Incheon. Joo, who was inspired by his uncle to become a reserve officer, expressed his honor in bringing his uncle to the Daejeon National Cemetery and shared his delight in finally easing his ancestor’s grief.