Korean War & Division (1950–1953)
On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel, triggering one of the most brutal wars of the 20th century. Seoul fell in just three days. This was followed by a three-year war involving the USA, China, and the Soviet Union — a Cold War proxy war that claimed 3 million lives and divided Korea into two states.
Seoul changed hands four times. When the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, in Panmunjom, the country was devastated — Seoul lay in ruins, Korea was the poorest country in Asia. A peace treaty was never concluded — technically, the war is still ongoing.
The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) has since divided the Korean Peninsula: Families were separated, and millions of Koreans on both sides have never seen their relatives again. The rare family reunions — most recently in 2018 — are heart-wrenching events that move the entire country.
For travelers, the DMZ tour is an impressive experience: The surreal silence of the world's most heavily fortified border, the view into North Korea, and the stories of divided families make the division palpable.
