South Korea

=== Japanese occupation and World War II ===
{{Main|Korea under Japanese rule}}
In the late 19th century, Japan became a significant regional power after winning the [[First Sino-Japanese War]] against Qing China and the [[Russo-Japanese War]] against the [[Russian Empire]]. In 1897, King Gojong, the [[List of monarchs of Korea|last king of Korea]], proclaimed Joseon as the [[Korean Empire]]. However, Japan [[Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905|compelled Korea to become its protectorate]] in 1905 and [[Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910|formally annexed it]] in 1910. What followed was a period of forced assimilation, in which Korean language, culture, and history were suppressed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Korea – Korea under Japanese rule {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Korea/Korea-under-Japanese-rule |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=27 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427013718/https://www.britannica.com/place/Korea/Korea-under-Japanese-rule |url-status=live }}</ref> This led to the [[March 1st Movement]] protests in 1919 and the subsequent foundation of resistance groups in exile, primarily in China. Among the resistance groups was [[Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea]].<ref>"Korean-Provisional-Government". ''Encyclopedia Britannica''. 8 August 2023.</ref>

Towards the end of [[World War II]], the U.S. proposed dividing the Korean peninsula into two occupation zones: a [[United States Army Military Government in Korea|U.S. zone]] and a [[Soviet Civil Administration|Soviet zone]]. [[Dean Rusk]] and [[Charles H. Bonesteel III]] suggested the [[38th parallel north|38th parallel]] as the dividing line, as it placed Seoul under U.S. control. To the surprise of Rusk and Bonesteel, the Soviets accepted their proposal and agreed to divide Korea.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fry |first1=Michael |title=National Geographic, Korea, and the 38th Parallel |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/130805-korean-war-dmz-armistice-38-parallel-geography |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225074751/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/130805-korean-war-dmz-armistice-38-parallel-geography |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 February 2021 |publisher=National Geographic |access-date=15 May 2021 |language=en |date=5 August 2013}}</ref>