Trump, First Lady Mark 70th Anniversary Of The Start Of Korean War

President Trump and Melania Trump on Thursday visited the Korean War Memorial in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of the start of the conflict that divided the Asian peninsula, with the U.S. backing the south.

Mr. Trump and the first lady stood in quiet reflection before laying their hands on a pre-positioned wreath at the National Mall site.

The president saluted and Mrs. Trump placed her hand on her heart as a military trumpeter played "Taps." The first couple then greeted elderly veterans on hand for the ceremony.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and Lee Soo Hyuck — South Korea's ambassador to the U.S. — also attended.

The Korean War began June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces backed by China and the Soviet Union advanced into South Korea.

The U.S. sustained over 33,000 combat deaths in the war, which lasted three years.