Korean War

American  

[kuh-ree-uhn wawr, kaw-, koh-] / kəˈri ən ˈwɔr, kɔ-, koʊ- /

noun

1. a war begun on June 25, 1950, when North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, which was subsequently supported by the United States and numerous allies within the United Nations: armistice signed July 27, 1953.

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Korean War British  

noun

1. the war (1950–53) fought between North Korea, aided by Communist China, and South Korea, supported by the US and other members of the UN

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Korean War Cultural  

1. A war, also called the Korean conflict, fought in the early 1950s between the United Nations, supported by the United States, and the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The war began in 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations declared North Korea the aggressor and sent military aid to the South Korean army. President Harry S. Truman declared the war a “police action” because he never asked Congress to pass an official declaration of war. He thereby established a precedent for President Lyndon Johnson, who committed troops to the Vietnam War without ever seeking a congressional mandate for his action. General Douglas MacArthur commanded the United Nations troops, who were mostly from the United States. The tide turned against North Korea with the landings at Inchon, and its troops were pushed back into the north; but reinforcements from the People's Republic of China soon allowed the North Koreans to regain lost territory. In 1953, with neither side having a prospect of victory, a truce was signed. In the course of the war, President Truman removed MacArthur from his command for insubordination. (See Truman-MacArthur controversy.)

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Compare meaning

How does korean-war compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Korean War vs. Vietnam War

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Korean War

Lee proposed talks at the weekend to formally end the Korean War and said Tuesday that joint US-South Korean drills showed no "intention to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula".

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Veterans who have served since 1990 are three times as likely to receive disability payments as those in World War II and the Korean War.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

He served as a photographer in Germany during the Korean War and joined his father at Disney following his 1952 discharge from the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

The Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty in 1953, meaning North and South Korea remain technically at war.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

Junior was drafted for the Korean War and was over there for three years.

From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson