Australia in the Korean War weeks later by the American forces who entered through Incheon. US Army Lieutenant General John R. Hodge formally accepted the surrender of Japanese forces south of the 38th Parallel on 9 September 1945 at the Government House in Seoul. Although both rival factions tried initially to diplomatically reunite the divided nation, it was the Northern faction that eventually decided to try and do so with military force. Troops from the Soviet backed North Korean Army crossed the 38th parallel on 25 June 1950 beginning a civil war. The invasion of South Korea came as a surprise to the United Nations.
Sweden in the Korean War personnel and 2,400 Korean personnel were treated by Swedish doctors. Because of Sweden's reputation for neutrality during the major 20th century conflicts (First World, Second World and Korean Wars), Sweden was included as one of the four founding members of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission and several Swedish military personnel served in Korea enforcing the Panmunjom armistice. Sweden was the first Western European country to establish diplomatic relations and an embassy in North Korea. Sweden in the Korean War Sweden took part in the Korean War by providing the Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital and participating in the Neutral Nations