In 1910, after years of war, the Korean peninsula was annexed by Japan as part of the Japanese Empire. When Japan surrendered in 1945 at the end of World War 2, The United States and the Soviet Union divided control of Korea. A communist regime was set up in the area north of latitude 38 N, which is where the term 38th Parallel gets its name. In the south, an American supported regime that was anti-communist was set up. In 1948, a United Nations sponsored vote called by called for by the United States for all Koreans to determine the peninsula's future. All Koreans? Not really because North Korea refused to participate as it had other matters to attend to, setting up the Kim Dynasty with Kim Il Sung as the first leader of North Korea and their own ideology Juche (self-reliance). With that, South Korea set up an anti-communist government. National Liberation Day is celebrated by South Koreans on 15th August while North Koreans celebrate Day of the Foundation of the Republic on 9th September but they also celebrate National Liberation Day.