With the North Korean Army pushing further into the south, Gen. Douglas MacArthur launched an amphibious assault on Inchon. The assault on the west coast of Korea led to recapturing the South Korean capital of Seoul.
After disobeying presidential orders and pursuing a plan to expand the Korean War into China, MacArthur was relieved of his command. He was replaced by Gen. Matthew Ridgway, who held off the Communist north while peace negotiations dragged on.
With President Dwight Eisenhower taking office, negotiations continued until July 27, 1953, when an armistice agreement was signed. The Korean Armistice Agreement led to a cease-fire and the establishment of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the 38th parallel, which remains one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world. However, a formal peace treaty was never signed, and the two Koreas technically remain in a state of war.