On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea, initiating the Korean War. This conflict drew in not only the Korean nations but also military forces from the United Nations, predominantly the United States, and later, Chinese troops supporting North Korea. The war, which lasted until 1953, ended in an armistice but no formal peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided and heavily militarized to this day. The Korean War significantly influenced Cold War dynamics and continues to affect international relations and the security landscape in Northeast Asia.
