The period of occupation of the United States and the Soviet Union in South Korea

SOUTH KOREA: SEPTEMBER 1945- AUGUST 1948, During World War II, most of the resistance in Asia against Japanese forces was carried out by the US, at the expense of lives and materials. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union was only a spectator because the country had a non-aggression treaty with Japan until the last seconds of World War II. Until Russia realized that the Japanese surrender was permanent, Russian troops quickly entered the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. August 15, 1945, during Japanese surrender, Russian troops occupied most of northern Korea.

At that time, US troops did not show their presence on the Korean Peninsula until a month later, in mid-September. To prevent Russian occupation from all over Korea, a hasty decision was made in Washington to draw a line of demarcation that divides the Korean Peninsula into two occupying zones of Russian and US troops. Initially, this line was not intended for political separation, but for military purposes, namely the disarmament of Japanese troops in Korea. When Japanese troops withdrew and US and Russian troops entered, Korea was caught in confusion.

The Korean people do not expect two occupation zones. Because during the Japanese period the Korean people were prohibited from conducting political activities, Korea had limitations in various political entities. Then, many political parties appeared, each competing to influence the overseas Koreans who came later, contributing to the situation. Five major political groups emerged in Korea. Three were formed by underground men in Korea, two came from overseas, one from the US, and one from Nationalist China.