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The UN retreated from North Korea after the First Phase Offensive and the Second Phase Offensive. UN forces invaded North Korea in October 1950 and moved rapidly towards the Yalu River-the border with China-but on 19 October 1950, Chinese forces of the People's Volunteer Army (PVA) crossed the Yalu and entered the war. Those who escaped envelopment and capture were forced back north. In September 1950, a risky amphibious UN counteroffensive was launched at Incheon, cutting off KPA troops and supply lines in South Korea. Īfter the first two months of war, South Korean Army (ROKA) and American forces hastily dispatched to Korea were on the point of defeat, retreating to a small area behind a defensive line known as the Pusan Perimeter. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. The Soviet Union was boycotting the UN for recognizing Taiwan (Republic of China) as China, and China (People's Republic of China) on the mainland was not recognized by the UN, so neither could support their ally North Korea at the Security Council meeting. The United Nations Security Council denounced the North Korean move as an invasion and authorized the formation of the United Nations Command and the dispatch of forces to Korea to repel it. North Korean military ( Korean People's Army (KPA)) forces crossed the border and drove into South Korea on 25 June 1950. 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, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, was established in the north under the totalitarian communist leadership of Kim Il-sung while a capitalist state, the Republic of Korea, was established in the south under the authoritarian autocratic leadership of Syngman Rhee. In 1948, as a result of Cold War tensions, the occupation zones became two [[sovereign states. The Soviets administered the northern zone and the Americans administered the southern zone. The United States and the Soviet Union divided Korea along the 38th parallel into two zones of occupation.
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In 1910, imperial Japan annexed Korea, where it ruled for 35 years until its surrender at the end of World War II on 15 August 1945. The fighting ended with an armistice on 27 July 1953. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union while South Korea was supported by the United Nations, principally the United States. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border and insurrections in South Korea. The Korean War (see § Names) was a war fought between North Korea and South Korea from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953.