How did the 38th parallel divide Korea after Japan’s surrender in 1945?

Following Japan’s surrender in 1945, the 38th parallel was established as a temporary administrative boundary to facilitate the surrender of Japanese forces on the Korean Peninsula.123

Under General Order No. 1, drafted by the United States, Japanese troops stationed north of the 38th parallel were to surrender to the Soviet Union, while those south of the line were to surrender to the United States. This division was intended to be a temporary measure to manage the transition toward Korean independence, which had been pledged by the Allied powers.123

However, as Cold War tensions intensified, the line became a permanent political barrier. The Soviets occupied the north and supported a communist regime under Kim Il-Sung, while the Americans occupied the south and backed an anticommunist government led by Syngman Rhee, leading to the formal establishment of two separate states in 1948.23