No one dreamed that a line drawn on the 38th parallel for the tactical purpose of organizing the surrender of Japanese units to Soviet and American forces would become a scar across the Korean peninsula that would create two separate states. But it did, and, in the wake of the Korean War, that line would become – and remain – one of the most heavily fortified borders on earth.
65年前朝鲜半岛的分裂是二战所导致的其中一个最严重——也是最持久——的恶果。没人会料到这条北纬38度线（原本用于划分驻朝日军应该向美国和苏联哪一方投降）会成为一条横贯朝鲜半岛的伤痕，并催生出两个独立国家。但事情确实发生了，在朝鲜战争停战以后，这条线成为了地球上最为戒备森严的边界之一，并一直延续至今。