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
Australia in the Korean War and by South Korean, American and UN troops on the other. The DMZ runs north of the parallel towards the east, and to the south as it travels west. The site of the peace talks, Kaesong, the old capital of Korea, was part of the South before hostilities broke out but is currently a special city of the North. North Korea and the United States signed the , with Syngman Rhee refusing to sign. After the war ended, Australians remained in Korea for four years as military observers. Australia gained political and security benefits, the most important being the signing