Following the end of fighting in the Korean War in 1953, the peninsula was effectively split in two, divided by a demilitarized zone that carved the nation apart.
Two separate states emerged: North Korea and South Korea. In the decades since, the South has developed into a thriving democracy and economic powerhouse. By contrast, the North remains one of the world’s most isolated countries, a communist dictatorship ruling over a tightly controlled and impoverished society. Some differences are strikingly visible; others are more subtle. With unification still a distant prospect, the two Koreas remain as divided today as they were over 70 years ago.
What exactly sets them apart? Click through to explore the key differences between these two nations.