North Korea Seizes Seoul: Korean War Escalates
North Korean troops captured Seoul on June 28, 1950, just three days after the invasion began, as South Korean forces collapsed under the assault of 90,000 North Korean troops and 150 Soviet-supplied T-34 tanks. President Syngman Rhee's government fled south. South Korean army engineers prematurely demolished the Hangang Bridge while it was packed with refugees and retreating soldiers, killing an estimated 500-800 people and stranding much of the army north of the river. The rapid capture of Seoul shocked Washington and the United Nations into action. General MacArthur's Inchon landing on September 15 cut North Korean supply lines, and Seoul was recaptured on September 28. It would change hands four times during the war. Seoul's population dropped from 1.5 million to 300,000 during the conflict.
June 28, 1950
76 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on June 28
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