Historical Context
On July 27, 1953, the Korean War ended - except that technically it didn't. Three years after the invasion of South Korea by North Korea, the bitter conflict on the peninsula was at a military stalemate and had been for two years. Conditions were miserable for the troops and neither side believed it could mount an offensive which would turn the tide in their favor.
To this end, the North Koreans backed by their communist allies and South Korea backed by its western allies reached an armistice agreement. Under these terms the war would end in a ceasefire and Korea would be divided at the 38th parallel. The powers were meant to continue negotiating a final peace agreement, but this has never happened.
And since then, the peninsula has technically still been at war. The incredibly tense relations between North and South are partly to do with this - every now and then, the North threatens to tear up the armistice and resume war with the South.
Photo Info
Photographer: US Department of Defense
Date taken: July 27, 1953
Location taken: Panmunjom, Korea
Source: Wikimedia Commons
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- 1953-07-27 North Korea and the United Nations sign armistice to stop fighting and divide Korea at the 38th parallel
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