38th parallel
The
38th parallel (
Sampalseon/Samp'alsŏn (
삼팔선;
三八線) in
Korean) was the original boundary between the
Soviet and
American occupation zones in
Korea established after the surrender of
Japan in
1945. (See
Division of Korea for more details.) In
1948, the dividing line became the boundary between the newly independent countries of
North and
South Korea. At the end of the
Korean War (
1950-
1953), a new border was established through the middle of the
Demilitarized Zone, which cuts across the 38th parallel at an
acute angle, from southwest to northeast.
See also
