How did the end of Japanese rule in 1945 affect Korea?

The end of Japanese rule in 1945 brought liberation to Korea after 35 years of colonial occupation, but it did not lead to immediate independence. Instead, the peninsula was divided along the 38th parallel, with Soviet forces occupying the north and U.S. forces the south.123

This division, initially intended as a temporary administrative measure to facilitate the Japanese surrender, hardened into a permanent separation as Cold War tensions intensified. The political landscape was marked by significant confusion and conflict:13
* Political Fragmentation: Various political groups emerged, all seeking self-government, but they were often at odds with the occupying military authorities.4
* Governance Struggles: The U.S. military government refused to recognize indigenous attempts at self-rule, such as the People’s Republic of Korea, and instead established its own administrative structures.4
* Entrenchment: The failure to reach a consensus on a unified government led to the establishment of separate regimes in 1948, followed by the Korean War (1950–53), which solidified the division into North Korea and South Korea.13