Why did the USSR get involved in the korean war?

The USSR was at first reluctant to help Kim Il Sung in unifying Korea. However, Kim Il-Sung constantly pursued this matter with Joseph Stalin that the time had come for a reunification of the Korea. Kim needed Soviet support to successfully execute an offensive far across a rugged, mountainous peninsula. Stalin initially refused support, as he feared the lack of preparedness of the North Korean armed forces and also possible U.S. involvement. However, by 1950, the North Korean military was equipped with modern Soviet weaponry, and it enjoyed substantial advantages over the Southern forces in virtually every category of equipment, as on January 30, 1950, Stalin, via telegram, informed Kim Il Sung that he was willing to help Kim in his plan to unify Korea.

After another visit by Kim to Moscow in March and April 1950, Stalin approved an attack.　 Coincidentally, on March 9, 1950, North Korea had agreed to send to the Soviet Union 9 tons of gold, 40 tons of silver, and 15,000 tons of monazite concentrate as payment for additional Soviet arms, ammunition and military technical equipment.

In a way, USSR support had helped to "cause" the Korean war. Without USSR support, Kim Il Sung would not have enough resources to attack South Korea.

Reasons:

Stalin wanted to conquer the whole of Korea and make it communist. Korea had good industrial, agricultural, and transportation friendly complexes, and was connected to the USSR via the Trans Siberian Railway. Stalin wanted communism to spread throughout the world, and here, he could slightly achieve that vision through unifying Korea by supplying weapons, without having to actually get directly involved in the war.


Valerie