at the country has is the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), established in 1953 to separate North and South Korea at the end of the Korean War. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) extends more than 1.5 kilometers on either side of the MDL. Both North and South Korea maintain that the MDL is a temporary administrative line, not a permanent border.
South Korea's history has been characterized by the invasion of its larger neighbors. The country was independent until the late 19th century, when Japanese influence became dominant. This era was characterized by nearly total control from Tokyo, and relentless efforts to replace Korea's language and culture with that of Japan. As World War II ended, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed that Japanese forces in Korea would surrender to the United States south of the 38th parallel and to the Soviet Union north of that line. This division of Korea was intended as a temporary administrative measure only. Elections were carried out under UN observation in the US zone of occupation and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) was established there. In September 1948, the Soviet Union established the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north under Kim Il Sung, a former Soviet army major, who claimed authority over the entire peninsula.
The United States withdrew its military forces from Korea in 1949; in June 1950, North Korea forces invaded South Korea. The UN engaged in its first collective military action through the establishment of the United Nations Command (UNC), to which 16 member countries sent troops and assistance. Peace negotiations began in July 1951, but hostilities continued until 1953.
After 16 years of alternating instability and military law, presidential elections were held in 1987. Voters elected Roh Tae Woo, marking the first peaceful transition of power in the country's 40-year history. In 1990, Roh strengthened his government's position in Parliament by...