Harrowing pictures reveal horrors of the Korean War, started by Kim Jong-un's grandfather, which claimed the lives of more than TWO MILLION civilians and 36,000 US troops

Harrowing pictures reveal horrors of the Korean War, started by Kim Jong-un's grandfather, which claimed the lives of more than TWO MILLION civilians and 36,000 US troops

Harrowing pictures bring to life the horrifying realities of the Korean War, including an image of a young child whose father had been killed.

The pictures have re-emerged at a time of heightened tension between the US and North Korea following a successful missile test last Tuesday.

The Korean War was fought between June 1950 and July 1953 after North Korea, led by Kim Il-sung – grandfather of current despot leader Kim Jong-un – invaded its southern neighbor. 

The US came to support the South, while China supported the North with assistance from the Soviet Union.

The war claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, including more than two million civilians and more than 36,000 US troops.

More than 5.7million US troops were sent to war in Korea during the three year conflict, and 36,574 were killed, according to official figures. 

A further 103,000 were wounded during the brutal campaign, which followed the invasion by North Korea of its southern neighbor.