Who occupied the Korean Peninsula during World War 2?

During World War II, the Korean Peninsula was occupied by Japan, which had annexed Korea in 1910. The Japanese occupation lasted until Japan's defeat in 1945. The occupation was marked by harsh repression, forced labor, and cultural assimilation policies aimed at erasing Korean identity. Following Japan's surrender, Korea was subsequently divided into two zones of occupation by the United States and the Soviet Union, leading to the eventual establishment of North and South Korea.