The outcome of the Korean War (1950-1953) was a stalemate, resulting in the division of Korea along the 38th parallel, creating North Korea and South Korea as separate entities. The war began when North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded the South. In response, the United Nations, primarily the US, intervened on behalf of South Korea. After three years of intense fighting and numerous casualties, an armistice was signed in 1953, establishing a demilitarized zone (DMZ) but failing to produce a formal peace treaty. This division continues to shape geopolitical tensions on the Korean Peninsula today.