The Defense Ministry opened Tuesday an investigation into allegations that the remains of North Korean soldiers were mistakenly included when South Korea repatriated the remains of Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Following an agreement with China in 2013, South Korea sent home what were believed to be the remains of 437 Chinese soldiers in 2014 who fought alongside North Korea against the South during the war. 

Remains of another 68 soldiers were repatriated in March last year before a lawmaker raised suspicions in September that the remains may have included those of North Korean forces, which were jointly buried with Chinese soldiers in an enemy cemetery in Paju, northwest of Seoul.

"An investigation was initiated today over a set of allegations that have been raised over the repatriation of Chinese soldiers," a government official said. 

The audit and inspection office under the direct supervision of Defense Minister Han Min-koo will take charge of the investigation, the official said. 

The ministry will inform China of any results to come out of the investigation, the official said, vowing countermeasure efforts for any mistakes.

Despite the on-going allegations, Seoul will continue with the repatriation program with China this year, the official said. The two countries are to hold their regular working-level talks on the program in the near future.

"South Korea will draw up some measures to classify Chinese soldiers' remains more correctly and solve the issue with China in a forward-looking stance," another ministry official noted.

No official response has been made from the Chinese government so far over the allegations.

(Yonhap)