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China’s Y-20B Airlifter’s First Trip to South Korea Repatriates Korean War Soldiers’ Remains

FlyMarshall NewsroomBy No Comments7 Mins Read

The new Y-20B variant conducted its first flight abroad, repatriating from South Korea the remains of Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War and replacing the earlier Y-20A in this role.

The ‘B’ variant of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Y-20 strategic airlifter made its first overseas deployment on Apr. 20, 2026, when it flew for a “repatriation mission” to South Korea. The aircraft returned on Apr. 22, transporting the remains of deceased Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who fought in the Korean War against the U.S and South Korea between 1950 and 1953.

Repatriation flights

Visuals of the first leg of the journey showed only a front view of the Y-20B taking off. A brief statement mentioned the aircraft took off in the afternoon of Apr. 20 from an unidentified airport in central China.

For the return leg, the aircraft took off from Incheon International Airport on Apr. 22 and landed at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang. The Y-20B was welcomed by a water cannon salute upon landing, after being escorted by four J-20 fighters in Chinese airspace, official visuals by Xinhua showed.

The previous repatriation missions from South Korea have been flown with the earlier Y-20A variant, with this being the first instance the newer Y-20B was used. This was also confirmed by the statement from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND), which said:

“This is the first time the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has dispatched a Y-20B for the repatriation. […] The air force will also send four J-20 fighter jets to escort the Y-20B after it re-enters China’s airspace.”

The Y-20A has been part of multiple international deployments, with major ones being the delivery of Chinese-made FK-3 air-defense missiles (export variant of the HQ-22) to Serbia in April 2022 and the participation in the massive Eagles of Civilization drills with the Egyptian Air Force in May 2025.

PLAAF Y-20As have been part of repatriation flights of deceased Chinese soldiers from South Korea annually since 2015. The most recent instances were in November 2024 and on Sep. 12, 2025.

The latter, representing the repatriation of the 12th batch of the remains of CPV soldiers, was also the first time that the transport aircraft was escorted by four J-20 fighters when it entered Chinese airspace. As mentioned earlier, the MND provided again this year the fighter escort.

The Y-20B in question is tail number ‘20343’. Images of Y-20Bs on China Defense Blog, uploaded on Jun. 25, 2025, show this aircraft, along with two more, assessing they might be assigned to the 13th Transport Aviation Division, under the Central Theater Command (CTC).

Diplomatic background

Xinhua reported: “A Chinese Air Force Y-20B large transport aircraft carrying the remains of the fallen soldiers and 146 of their personal effects landed at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province.” The publication added that so far China has repatriated the remains of “1,023 CPV martyrs” in coordination with South Korea.

The Second World War, and the subsequent Chinese Civil War and Korean Wars, continue today to influence China’s strategic affairs, relations with Taiwan, Japan and the U.S. This appears to be a major element in east and southeast Asian geopolitics in general.

Tensions in northeast Asia are characterized by testy ties between both the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK – North Korea), and Japan’s acrimonious relations with China, Russia, the DPRK and with South Korea.

There is consensus among observers that China and South Korea have found some common ground over the events from the 1900s to the 1950s – despite being on opposite sides in the Korean War. The Y-20 flights to South Korea are a manifestation of this effort, although it remains to be seen how and whether they will dictate any shifts of the military dynamics in the region.

Y-20B tail numbers 20342 and 20343 in flight. (Image Credit: Chinese internet via China Defense Blog)

Y-20B airlifter

The Y-20 can be considered a Chinese-equivalent of the U.S.-made C-17 Globemaster III. The new ‘B’ variant includes a number of improvements and an increase of indigenous Chinese systems compared to the earlier Y-20A

The Y-20B variant can be differentiated by its shorter and stubbier WS-20 turbofan engines. The Y-20A was powered by Russian D-30KP-2 and Chinese WS-18 engines, depending on the production batch, which can be recognized by their longer shape.

The GT report about the Y-20B’s flight to South Korea noted the WS-20’s enhanced performance features. The report said the deployment “demonstrates that its new high-bypass-ratio domestically developed engine has undergone a period of testing and validation, and is now mature and reliable.”

A Y-20B transport aircraft takes off headed to the Republic of Korea (ROK) to carry back the 13th batch of remains of Chinese soldiers who died during the Korean War. (Image Credit: Li Xixin/Xinhua)

The Y-20 was developed as a Chinese replacement for the Russian Ilyushin Il-76. The airframe serves as the base for multiple specialized aircraft, including the PLAAF’s newest and largest Airborne AEW&C, the KJ-3000, based on the Y-20B.

The Y-20A also has a Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)-type version called the YY-20A/YU-20A, with a three-point hose-and-drogue refueling system, notably used in the May 2025 drills with the EAF. A similar variant is also expected for the newer Y-20B.

The GT report also quoted Chinese defense expert Wang Yunfei, who said the Y-20B’s trip to South Korea means the aircraft has acquired “its final design certification” for “proven stability.” Wang further said: “The aircraft has earned full trust and […] it will be gradually fielded [for] longer-range and more complex strategic transport missions.”

Describing the Y-20B, Xinhua said the aircraft includes “new-generation domestically manufactured aero-engines […] extended range, increased payload capacity and higher flight speed, boasting robust long-range strategic airlift capabilities.” The engines offer higher fuel efficiency and increased range with the “same amount of fuel.”

Other upgrades include an improved power supply, hydraulic control, navigation, communication and flight control systems, aiding “enhanced adaptability to harsh natural environments,” and “national strategic airlift” mission capability “under more complex operational conditions.” Wang added that the Y-20B is likely to lead to aerial tanker and “even an airborne early warning aircraft,” although, as mentioned earlier, the latter already exists as the KJ-3000 is based on the Y-20B.


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