European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                August 1985 the stars and stripes Page 17 Pyongyang o Panmunjom South Korea divided Korea Little Hope of unification by Edwin White associated press after 35 years of harsh japanese the people of the korean Peninsula believed the time of their yearnings had come on Vij Day they would see it want to for a decision made casually after japans surrender in world War ii leaves them divided 40 years later into opposing ideological today there is the pro soviet North and an economically protest where political dissent is repressed on the grounds that it helps further the cause of the although the soviet Union had not entered the War against Japan until its final it was decided More by Accident than by references say that soviet troops would accept the surrender of the japanese in Korea North of the 38th american troops would take up a similar role South of the lines of occupation in Europe were decided before the wars end there on May and an attempt by the soviets to Divide Japan up similarly was rejected by general Douglas supreme Allied commander in the historical references on the korean occupation agree that the United states considered the 38th parallel solution a matter of a Way to disarm and disband japanese forces in Korea and to run things until a government could be it was termed a temporary but the 38th parallel remains today As the demilitarized zone and the Boundary Between the two United nations organizations and others were Given the task of trying to promote formation of a government for All of Korea and the holding of nationwide they met with unyielding soviet and found they were excluded from the Korea North of the after All efforts to overcome the barriers elections were held Only in the on three years after the end of the the Republic of Korea was proclaimed with the old syn Man its first a month the communist leaders of the North declared the establishment of their own and the official lines were evidence of what would happen had surfaced before the United states dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and a infantry division in the Philippines was ready to land on Kyushu in Southern but Japan surrendered and the division landed at the port just West of they were welcomed by a korean people in their forbidding had Little to offer except enthusiasm for their liberators and Hopes for the moving into Seoul by the americans saw stirrings of what was to there were meetings and up photo rear Charles chief United National command facing North koreans at session of military armistice commission at delegations agreed to support talks Between the two speakers in the streets seeking to Rouse passions of the right and left and win support for sides already heading toward the deep split that would the troops began the process of sending Home the tens of thousands of japanese military who had held while around them swirled the restive uncertainties of a people trying to find a new part of what was happening in those Early Days became clearer in june when North korean forces drove across the 38th seeking to achieve a Unity on their own the korean War raged for three serving Only to spill wreak destruction and deepen the the years since have seen vast in the there has been an economic in the there have been fervid attempts to maintain a Nea Complete diplomatic relations Between South Korea and old enemy Japan were established in and important economic ties have been there Are frictions that periodically break into the some other things remain the same As they were 40 years Kim ii the 73yearold North korean president and Only Leader that country has continues to demand unification on terms the North has Long put in the where military backed governments have dominated since wary Steps have been taken under president Chun Doo Hwan toward a lessening of Domestic controls to balance the economic picture and International great store has been put on the selection of Seoul As the site of such events As the asian games next year and the 1988 olympic the threat from the North is cited almost As a reason for keeping political differences at massive military forces Are in position in both the North and and the United states still keeps nearly troops Here to help guard against another move across the tense demilitarized zone along the 38th since the korean War ended in 1953 with an uneasy armistice no treaty of peace there have been sporadic efforts toward opening a dialogue that might eventually Lead to these moves recently have been As in the there is Little real Hope or optimism that the division of 40 years ago will be ended