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

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

It connects the Lincoln Memorial to its west, the World War II Memorial to its east, the Vietnam War memorial to its north, and the Korean War memorial to its south.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

The two countries have used such "propaganda balloons" in their campaigns since the Korean War, where messages are put inside the balloons.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Taxes were levied in 1914, 1916, 1917 and 1919 to fund World War I; in 1940, 1941, 1942 and 1944 for World War II; and in 1950 and 1951 for the Korean War.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

More defectors turned up in the South between 2005 and 2011 than had fled North Korea over the entire period since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden