Why Korea Was Divided
2026 Liberation Day Commemorative Series · Part 1 of 8
When Korea was liberated on August 15, 1945, many believed the nation had finally regained its future. Instead, it soon lost its unity. Freedom arrived, but the country itself remained unfinished.
At the end of World War II, Japan surrendered after decades of colonial rule over Korea. Before Koreans could establish a single independent government, the peninsula became entangled in the emerging rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The 38th parallel was originally proposed as a temporary military boundary for accepting Japan’s surrender. What began as an administrative arrangement soon evolved into something far more permanent, becoming one of the defining frontiers of the early Cold War.
In 1948, two separate governments were established: the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the north. Two years later, war broke out. The Korean War devastated the peninsula, claimed the lives of millions, and left countless families permanently separated.
For many outside Korea, division may appear to be an ordinary geopolitical reality. For Koreans, however, it remains an unfinished chapter of history. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) still stands as one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders, reminding the world that history can continue long after the fighting ends.
Unlike many national borders that evolved over centuries, Korea’s division emerged suddenly through a combination of domestic political conflict and the strategic decisions of global powers during the early Cold War. Its consequences continue to shape security, diplomacy, and national identity today.
Liberation gave Korea its freedom. Division reshaped its destiny. Modern Korea cannot be understood by remembering one without the other. The story of August 15 is therefore not only the story of liberation. It is the beginning of a history that remains unfinished.
— Joonghwa Byeon
