Background - What is DMZ? - The DMZ is a border barrier that divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half. It was established as a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea after the Korean War. The original demarcation line was set at latitude 38° N (the 38th parallel) at the end of World War II 1. - Historical Context - Korean War (1950–53): The DMZ incorporates territory on both sides of the cease-fire line as it existed at the end of the war. The DMZ was created by pulling back the respective forces, resulting in a no-man’s land that remains heavily fortified 2.