The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday handed over the remains of six U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War to a visiting U.S. delegation, the official Korean Central News Agency KCNA reported.

According to the KCNA, the DPRK government decided to return the remains of the soldiers to the United States citing humanitarian reasons.

The delegation, headed by U.S. New Mexico state Governor Bill Richardson, has left with the remains to South Korea after a four-day visit to the DPRK.

"This is a very positive gesture on the part of the North Korean (DPRK) government," Richardson said in a statement.

During the visit, Richardson and the delegation visited historic sites, and met with Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the Presidium of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s Supreme People's Assembly, and Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan. The two sides discussed the nuclear issue and the return of remains of U.S. soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The U.S. government said more than 33,000 U.S. soldiers were killed during the Korean War and about 8,100 are still listed as missing in action.