evidence: This week U.S. soldier Travis King crossed the Demilitarized Zone, often called the DMZ, which separates South Korea and North Korea. King went into North Korea "willfully and without authorization" and is believed to be in the custody of North Korean forces. What is the DMZ and what does it look like? [...] The DMZ is a 148-mile-long strip that incorporates territory from both North and South Korea. It is about 35 miles from South Korea's capital, Seoul, and runs along the 38th parallel, the line that divides the two countries, along which much of the Korean War occurred. The DMZ was created at the end of the Korean War in 1953, when an armistice was signed. Both countries are still divided and technically at war, but the DMZ ensures the demarcation between them remains peaceful. It is protected by heavily armed troops on both sides.