The military has identified the remains of a South Korean soldier killed during the 1950-53 Korean War after their excavation from a battle site last year, the defense ministry said Thursday.

The ministry's excavation team found the remains of Ssg. Cho Eung-seong from the White Horse Ridge inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in October. They were identified as his thanks to a DNA sample his daughter had registered with the government.

The recovery work proceeded as part of a 2018 inter-Korean military accord. South Korea has been conducting the project alone as the North has not responded to calls to join the work.

The White Horse Ridge is one of the areas where the most casualties were reported during the war. South Korea completed excavation work at the nearby Arrowhead Ridge last year.

South Korea has identified the remains of 185 fallen soldiers killed in the conflict since 2000, including 11 from the DMZ. (Yonhap)