It's somewhat reasonable to say that they are still at war. South Korea (and its US support) and North Korea (and its Chinese support) are currently in a long-standing ceasefire. No peace treaty was ever signed in 1953. The Soviet Union might not be backing up North Korea any more but the status quo from 1953 is still in effect. I think the most appropriate term is a military stalemate.
Then again, one could also argue that they were never "at war" as no official declaration of war was ever issued; North Korea simply invaded the southern half of the peninsula without any issued documentation and the United States considered the 1950-1953 conflict to be a "police action" under the auspices of the United Nations rather than a war.
From my own perspective, I outline a few basic and highly important facts needed in order to understand the present conflict:
- The Korean peninsula has been occupied by humans for over a quarter of a million years.
- A distinct culture and national identity began to emerge well over 2000 years ago, resulting in three roughly confederated kingdoms ruling for many centuries thereafter.
- Korea fell under imperial domination by Japan, and was militarily occupied by 1910. The peninsula was exploited for the benefit of Japan, and Koreans subject to forced labor.
- At the end of WWII, Korea was divided at the 38th Parallel by Colonel Dean Rusk and the Soviet, Chischakov - shades of Sykes and Picot! The occupying US General Hodge declared Korea an enemy of the US. The
United States Army Military Government in Korea was the official ruling body of the southern half of the Korean Peninsula from September 8, 1945 to August 15, 1948. The US assumed all previous Japanese positions as its own, and utilized Imperial Japanese officers in its own administration, as our people had nearly zero knowledge or understanding of Korea. Any hope for a unified, independent Korea evaporated as Cold War politics demanded the establishment of two separate states with diametrically opposed political, economic, and social systems. The US annexation of South Korea was officially incorporated in US General Order No. 1 for the surrender of Japan.
- In the North, land reform and break-up off the rigid class system took place. In the South, there was no land reform, and periodic unrest, strikes and uprising of citizens against the occupying US government. By 1948 Soviet forces were largely withdrawn and North Korea was an independent state.
- In 1949, most US forces withdrew. South Korea, under Singman Rhee, an anti-communist authoritarian, wanted to control the North as well. The North, now with increasing Soviet support, also militarized and sought control over the South.
- War erupted in June, 1950. Initially, the South was almost overrun. With heavy (88% of the total UN forces) US intervention, the war turned around and the North was almost completely overrun up to the Chinese border, the Yalu river. The Chinese then intervened, and the US forces retreated across the 38th Parallel. An Armistice was signed July 1953. Over a million were killed, and almost every last building in North Korea was destroyed.
- IMO, it is reasonable to say the Korean situation is dominated by Cold War fundamentals between the US, Russia, and China. The natives are our guinea pigs, the UN and Japan playing the role of nervous bystanders.
