The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People’s Army poured across the 38th parallel, the boundary between the Soviet-backed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the north and the pro-Western Republic of Korea to the south. Both governments of the two new Korean states claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of Korea, and neither accepted the border as permanent. A socialist state was established in the north under the communist leadership of Kim Il-sung and a capitalist state in the south under the anti-communist leadership of Syngman Rhee. With the border set at the 38th parallel in 1948, two sovereign states were established because of geopolitical tensions of the Cold War (between the Soviet Union and the United States). After the war had ended, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into two zones of occupation, the Soviets administered the northern half and the Americans administered the southern half. M39 Armored Utility Vehicle – USA | PRIME MOVERĪt the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States liberated Korea from imperial Japanese colonial control on August 15th, 1945.

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