The Korean Peninsula contains North Korea and South Korea and is bordered by the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan.
It extends southward from northeastern China and Russia toward the Korea Strait. The Yellow Sea lies to the west, the Korea Strait and East China Sea lie to the south, and the Sea of Japan, called the East Sea in South Korea, lies to the east.
The peninsula was divided into two states after World War II. North Korea and South Korea were established in 1948, and the Korean War ended with the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement rather than a formal peace treaty.
The Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, runs near the 38th parallel and separates the two countries. Despite its name, it is one of the world’s most heavily guarded borders and is also an important wildlife refuge.