The involvement of New Zealand in the Korean War began in 1950 as a response to the United Nations Security Council's call for combat assistance in the erupting Korean War. New Zealand was one of the first (of a total of sixteen) nations to respond with support. [1]
New Zealand had three main reasons for joining the Korean War; the first was geopolitical, with Communist North Korea being supported by China and the Soviet Union, while the Republic of Korea was backed by other Western democratic powers such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The second reason was New Zealand's connection to the UN as a founding country and supporter. The third reason was that it was an opportunity for New Zealand to secure its partnership with the United States.[2] The Korean War lasted from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953 when an armistice agreement was signed, however New Zealand forces remained in a reduced capacity until final troops were withdrawn in 1957.[3]
- ^ "Korean War: Page 3 – The 'first' and 'second' Korean Wars". Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 19 October 2022.
- ^ "AWA - Cultures, Languages & Linguistics". awa.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Korean War: Page 1 – Introduction". Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 19 October 2022.