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How were North Korea and South Korea established as separate states in 1948?

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Map of the Korean Peninsula highlighted in orange, showing North Korea in the north and South Korea in the south. The peninsula is bordered by China and Russia to the north, the Yellow Sea to the west, the East Sea (Sea of Japan) to the east, and Japan across the sea to the southeast. A small inset globe at the top left shows the peninsula's location in East Asia. — Korea Map of the Korean Peninsula, indicating northern and southern regions.

The establishment of North and South Korea as separate states in 1948 was the result of the failure to achieve a unified government following the end of World War II and the subsequent onset of the Cold War.12

After the Joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. Commission failed to reach an agreement on unification, the United States brought the issue to the United Nations. The UN General Assembly called for general elections, but the U.S.S.R. barred the UN commission from the northern zone.1

South Korea: Elections were held in the south on May 10, 1948, under UN supervision. A National Assembly was formed, a constitution was adopted, and Syngman Rhee was elected president. The Republic of Korea was inaugurated on August 15, 1948.1
North Korea: Meanwhile, the Supreme People’s Assembly in the north drafted its own constitution. Following elections held on August 25, 1948, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was proclaimed on September 9, with Kim Il-Sung as premier.1

Both regimes claimed legitimacy over the entire peninsula, leading to a permanent partition along the 38th parallel.13