Military Demarcation Line Armistice Agreement. Locals and foreigners will be allowed to cross the line at the Joint Security Area once this area is cleared. The DMZ runs near the 38th parallel, covering roughly . American and South Korean soldiers patrol this line along the South Korean side while North Korean soldiers patrol along the North Korean side. In Korean, the line is called the "Hyujeonseon" (휴전선), meaning "armistice line." It is also sometimes called the "Gunsa Bungye-seon" (군사분계선), which literally means "military demarcation line." However, in colloquial usage, the dividing line is more often called the "Sampalseon" (삼팔선, "38th parallel"), a name
Soviet Union in the Korean War both an unreliable and demanding ally and took greater steps to ensure autarky from the USSR in the years following the War. In 1960, China broke from the Soviet Union in an event known today as the Sino-Soviet Split, creating a rift amongst all communist powers which were expected to pick one side of the divide. The North Korean regime, which bordered both countries, successfully navigated the split by playing one power off against the other. It did not firmly align with either power until the Soviet reforms under Mikhail Gorbachev compelled the regime to align with China. This split,