Which parallel divided surrender zones in Korea under General Order No. 1?

The 38th parallel divided surrender zones in Korea under General Order No. 1. Japanese forces north of the line were directed to surrender to the Soviet commander, while forces south of it surrendered to the American commander.

The order was issued after Japan accepted the Allied terms in August 1945 and was formalized on September 2. It was not originally a permanent peace treaty or a detailed constitutional plan for Korea. Instead, the parallel provided a practical boundary for receiving Japanese troops and administering the former Japanese colony.

The line soon became much more consequential than its authors initially intended. Soviet forces occupied the north and American forces occupied the south. Separate political systems developed in the two zones, leading to the establishment of North Korea and South Korea in 1948.

The division later became a major cause of tension and formed the military boundary during the Korean War. The modern Demilitarized Zone is near, but not identical to, the 38th parallel, so the two terms should not be treated as exact synonyms.