Korean Peninsula Before the Division

After Korea’s liberation from the Japanese Occupation in 1945, forces outside of our country decided to rip our land in half for their convenience.[1] The US drew the 38th parallel, cutting the Korean peninsula in half, and turned Korea into two pieces of land – north of the 38th parallel이북, and south of the parallel이남. A simple move of the US – drawing a line on the map by one of the pre-existing lines – brought a stark change in our country’s narrative; all of a sudden, Koreans had to distinguish what was from the north of, and South of the 38th parallel, instead of seeing it as Korea, like they used to.

The UN did not recognize Korea’s ability to stand fully independent and gave the US permission to hold and look over the first presidential election in our country. This allowed the US to softly colonize Korea by putting their military government and bringing Rhee Syngman – a pro-US Korean figure who lived in the US and Hawaii – as our country’s presidential candidate who would later help the US keep Korea within their parameter. My mother described how our country fastened the first button wrong by having Rhee as the first president of Korea. “Our country’s destiny may have been different if Kim Gu became the leader of the peninsula as the Korean public wanted. We would have had a president who spoke for the North and South. We may not have needed to face the permanent separation” (Personal Communication, 8 March 2023).[2]

It did not take long for the crevice made by the one-sided presidential election to turn into a division in Korea.[3] Despite the effort of millions of Koreans fighting for our country’s unification and complete independence, the different ideologies created tension across the peninsula, and the Korean War broke out in 1950. Before our country was able to find its identity that was removed by Japan, and before our country could form an independent narrative – another turmoil covered the Korean peninsula. 

My grandmother told me how she had thought the war would only last a few weeks. A few months, if it took long. A temporary situation. And she would be able to see her dad and her brother again. But a month into the war, Rhee gave up Korea’s right to direct its own military and police to General MacArthur, and our country lost the power to end the Korean War at the hands of America that day.[4]

[1] When Korea became independent in 1945, the UN (formerly the Allies of WWII) recognized Korea as part of the defeated country, Japan, and allowed the US to impose their military government on our country (Lee H., 2008). The US drew the 38th parallel and suggested the Soviets take the lands north of and the US take the lands south of the 38th parallel. After the Korean War, the DMZ (demilitarized zone) border was built roughly around this parallel. 

[2] Kim Gu and several other activists led the Korean independence movement during the Japanese Occupation. How he fought against Japan and for complete independence from the supporters of Japan and the American and Soviet influences made the Korean public hope that he would become our country’s leader.

[3] The northern part of Korea – supported by the Soviets – did not agree to participate in the presidential election led by the United Nations Commission on Korea (UNCOK). Despite seven countries, including the Soviets, disagreeing with the election not being held in the entire Korean peninsula, the US proposed the election in the South, and UNCOK executed the election in 1948.

[4] President Rhee handed General MacArthur Korea’s Wartime Operation Control (WT-OPCON) on 14 July 1950 for easier and unified military control. Since then, South Korea has lost the ability to direct, start or end a war in our country is in. During the Obama administration, President Lee Myung-bak agreed to the US keeping South Korea’s WT-OPCON forever.

Families during the Korean War walking on the temporary passage through the Han River in Seoul to go down to the south of Korea.