National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day is observed in the United States every July 27 to commemorate the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953, which ended hostilities in the Korean War. This day honors the 1.8 million Americans who served in the conflict, during which nearly 37,000 lost their lives, over 103,000 were wounded, and thousands were captured or went missing. Memorial ceremonies take place at various monuments and memorials across the country, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The observance was established by President Barack Obama to express gratitude to living veterans and to remember those who died in the war. The origins of the Korean War trace back to the division of Korea after World War II and the subsequent conflict between the North, supported by the Soviet Union and China, and the South, backed by the United States and its allies.