* The Soviet Union's support for North Korea. The Soviet Union provided North Korea with military and economic aid, which helped to sustain its war effort. The Soviet Union also threatened to intervene directly in the war if the United Nations forces crossed the 38th parallel into North Korea.
* The stalemate in the fighting. The fighting in the Korean War reached a stalemate in 1951, with the two sides entrenched in their positions along the 38th parallel. Neither side was able to make significant gains against the other, and the war began to take a heavy toll on both sides.
* The armistice agreement. The Korean War ended with an armistice agreement that was signed on July 27, 1953. The armistice agreement created a demilitarized zone (DMZ) along the 38th parallel, which has divided Korea into two countries, North Korea and South Korea, to this day.