The Divided Peninsula: Understanding the Korean Conflict

The division of Korea following World War II resulted in the creation of two distinct states: North and South Korea. The division was largely influenced by the geopolitical interests of the Soviet Union and the United States. Following Japan's defeat, the Allies divided the Korean peninsula along the 38th parallel, with the Soviet Union administering the North and the United States the South. This division, initially intended as a temporary measure, led to the establishment of two separate governments with differing ideologies. The Korean War, which began in 1950, further solidified this division. The war, which pitted communist North Korea against the US-backed South Korea, ended in an armistice in 1953, but a formal peace treaty was never signed, leaving the Korean peninsula technically still at war. The DMZ, a heavily fortified border, remains a stark reminder of this division. "The Soviets wanted control of the region, and the Americans stepped in to prevent that," explains the video's narrator. Today, South Korea is one of the world's most advanced economies, while North Korea remains under an authoritarian regime, highlighting the lasting impact of the Cold War division.