Kelly McKeague, director of the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), said on 2026-01-31 that the White House asked what DPAA could do if President Donald Trump reaches an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. ^[1] Kelly McKeague, director of the US Defense Department's DPAA, said on 2026-07-31 that the White House asked the agency about possible cooperation with North Korea on recovering remains of US soldiers, and that the agency is ready. ^[2] McKeague said DPAA is ready to cooperate with North Korea to recover remains of US soldiers who died or were captured during the Korean War. ^[3] McKeague said he explained to the White House that North Korea handing over remains it holds and resuming joint field searches last conducted in 2005 would be helpful. ^[4] According to the DPAA, over 7,400 US soldiers from the Korean War remain unidentified, with about 5,300 believed to be in North Korea. ^[5] The DPAA proposed to the White House a plan to send two recovery teams to Unsan and Changjin in North Korea, conducting four 45-day operations per year to recover remains. ^[6]