SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- The veterans ministry will sign a preliminary agreement with a U.S. Defense Department agency to expand cooperation on U.S. service members who participated in the 1950-53 Korean War, officials said Friday.

The ministry said it will clinch a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Defense's POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Omaha on Friday (local time) in an effort to strengthen cooperation on veterans affairs.

Under the MOU, the two sides will promote exchange programs for the families of U.S. service members who sacrificed their lives during the war, hold commemorative events, and expand cooperation through information sharing and other joint initiatives.

The signing ceremony will be attended by about 500 people, including Vice Veterans Minister Kang Yun-jin, and family members of prisoners of war and service members who remain missing in action.

More than 1.78 million U.S. troops served during the Korean War. Of them, 36,574 were killed in action, while 7,359 remain unaccounted for, according to the ministry.

sookim@yna.co.kr

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