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Korean War: Quick Facts

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Call Of Duty game depicting another Korean War sparks debate in South Korea • Oct. 26, 2026, 5:41 AM ET (Straits Times)
Kim Jong-un's surprise trip to China • Oct. 25, 2026, 12:45 AM ET (Korea Herald)

Facts

Date June 25, 1950 - July 27, 1953
Location North Korea • South Korea • Gwangju
Participants China • North Korea • South Korea • United Nations • United States

Did You Know?

  • Of the troops sent to help South Korea, about 90% were from the United States.
  • More than 40 countries of the UN sent troops, equipment, or other aid to South Korea.
  • More than half of the deaths in the Korean War were of civilians, constituting a higher civilian death rate than in either World War II or the Vietnam War.

Photos and Videos

Map of the Korean Peninsula showing North Korean military advances into South Korea from June to August 1950 during the Korean War. Red arrows indicate the directions of North Korean advances southward past the 38th parallel, reaching deep into South Korean territory near the Pusan Perimeter, with major cities and geographic features labeled. Surrounding regions such as Manchuria (China), the USSR, and Japan are also shown for context.
38th parallel
Korean War
Korean War: U.S. soldiers
United States Army
U.S. troops climb down cargo nets from a large military ship into landing craft below, preparing for the assault on Inchon during the Korean War in September 1950.
Korean War
Map of the Korean Peninsula showing troop movements and advances by United Nations Command forces during the Korean War from September to November 1950. Green arrows trace the northward advances from South Korea into North Korea, with key cities, rivers, and boundaries labeled, including the 38th parallel and major operations such as the X Corps landing at Inch'on and Pusan. Neighboring regions like Manchuria (China), the USSR, and Japan are also indicated.
downtown Seoul during the Korean War
Korean War: Battle of the Chosin Reservoir
Harry Truman's presidency: World War II, the atomic bomb, and the Cold War
Why Are North and South Korea Divided?
See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Timeline

Korean War
Inchon landing
September 15, 1950 - September 26, 1950
Battle of the Chosin Reservior
Battle of the Chosin Reservoir
November 1950 - December 1950
Korean War, February 1951–July 1953
Battle of Kapyong
April 23, 1951 - April 25, 1951

Key People

default image
Harold K. Johnson
United States Army officer
Mao Zedong smiling and waving with his right hand while standing outdoors in front of large lanterns and a crowd.
Mao Zedong
Chinese leader
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
premier of Soviet Union
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
president of United States
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
president of United States
Chesty Puller
Chesty Puller
United States Marine Corps officer
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
United States general
Kim Il-Sung
Kim Il-Sung
president of North Korea
Thomas Hudner
Thomas Hudner
United States naval officer
default image
Walton H. Walker
American military officer
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
president of South Korea
default image
Edward M. Almond
American army officer
default image
Dean Acheson
American government official
default image
Léo Major
Canadian soldier
Trygve Lie
Trygve Lie
Norwegian statesman and secretary-general of the United Nations
default image
James Alward Van Fleet
United States military commander
default image
Chung Seung-Hwa
South Korean general
Maxwell Taylor, 1962.
Maxwell Davenport Taylor
American military officer
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
United States general
Matthew B. Ridgway, 1951.
Matthew Bunker Ridgway
United States general

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