Korean reunification selected the 38th parallel as a dividing line. Japanese troops to the North of this line were to surrender to the Soviet Union and troops to the South of this line would surrender to the United States. This was not originally intended to result in a long-lasting partition, but Cold War politics resulted in the establishment of two separate governments in the two zones in 1948 and rising tensions prevented cooperation. The desire of many Koreans for a peaceful unification was dashed when the Korean War broke out in 1950. In June 1950, troops from North Korea invaded South Korea.
Student soldiers in the Korean War who could prove they met the criteria were handed the award. In 1997, the government handed it out to a further 45 people who had failed to receive it before. On June 16, 2010, the movie "" was released, which depicted the death of 71 students during the Korean War, mainly in August 1950. "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War" mentions the soldiers, although the main focus is on the personal story of two brothers, one in education when drafted. Student soldiers in the Korean War Student soldiers were individuals in Korea who volunteered or were forced to cease their studies