Which conflict between North and South Korea began in 1950?

The conflict between North and South Korea that began in 1950 was the Korean War.

The war began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. Korea had been divided into Soviet and American occupation zones after Japan’s defeat in World War II, and separate governments were established in the North and South in 1948. Both claimed legitimacy over the entire peninsula.

South Korean and United Nations forces, led by the United States, initially fought to repel the invasion. China later entered the war on North Korea’s side, while the Soviet Union supplied support and equipment. The front shifted dramatically before stabilizing near the original dividing line.

An armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, creating the Demilitarized Zone, but no formal peace treaty followed. That is why the Korean conflict is often described as technically unresolved. The Chinese Civil War and Vietnam War were separate conflicts, although both were connected to the wider Cold War era.