• occupied by japan
• japan was deafted by ww2
• in 1947 un divides korea into halves at the 38th parrell
• soviet union admistres the north half
• supposed to be temporary
• ussr and us  could not agree on how korea would  be governed 
• soviets set up a communist gov: in the north, ruled by kim II sung
• america set up a pro-western democratic government in the south
• each side thought they should rule leading to the korean war  (1950-1953)
• total number killed 2.5
• democratic party republic of korea
• captial pyongyang
• totalitarian stalinist dicatorship
• single party state
• cult of personality
• north korea has devolped nueclar weapons
• republic of korea
• capital of seoul
• presidental republic
• very high stadard of living
• fourth largest economy in asia
• president lee myung-bak