The line that divided Korea

I have always wondered why Korea is divided into the North and South, to satisfy my curiosity I decided to do a little research. This is what i learnt; In 1945, when World War II was ending Japan, which had ruled Korea for 35 years, had just lost. The two winners of the war the USA and the Soviet Union (Russia) were rushing to take control of the land Japan was leaving behind.

The Americans decided to find a way to divide Korea so the Soviets wouldn't take the whole thing. They looked at the map and saw a line called the 38th Parallel (a line of latitude) that cut the country almost exactly in half. They scribbled it down, the Soviets agreed, and just like that, a 1,000-year-old country was sliced in two.

In the North the Soviets set up a Communist system (where the government owns everything) and In the South, The Americans set up a Capitalist system (where people can own businesses). By 1948, two separate countries were born: the North (DPRK) and the South (ROK). Since that day in 1945, the two halves have grown into completely different universes.

In 1950, the North decided they wanted the whole peninsula and invaded the South. This started the Korean War, It was a brutal, three-year struggle and by the end, millions of people had died. They finally signed a ceasefire but technically till now, North and South Korea are still at war.

For decades, both sides have been engaged in a relentless, non stop psychological war. They fight using propaganda, information, sometimes true, sometimes not, meant to influence people. Both countries have arrays of 40 massive speakers stacked together in walls of their border that can be heard up to 15 miles away. South Korea blasts K-pop, weather reports, and world news. They want the bored, poor North Korean soldiers near the border to hear how fun, modern, and rich life is in the South. The North responds with patriotic songs and praises for their leader. When the K-pop gets too loud, they sometimes just play powerful white noise to drown out the South’s sound. Since North Koreans don't have internet, activists in the South send giant gas balloons with special deliveries: USB sticks packed with Netflix shows, K-dramas, and chocolate pies. Tired of the outside information, North Korea started sending thousands of balloons back, but filled them with cigarette butts, scrap paper, and literal manure (poop).

Petty right.

North Korea in 2026 is ruled by the Kim family, who are treated like gods. Living in the North means no internet, no traveling, and sometimes not enough food. Many people try to escape, but crossing the DMZ is nearly impossible.

The South is obviously a better place to live in.