evidence: The Korean Peninsula is shared by two sovereign states; South Korea and North Korea. The two countries were created in 1945, following the surrender of Imperial Japan. The surrender led to the partitioning of the peninsula into two, with the Soviet Union occupying the north and the US taking up the south. The two superpowers differed on ideologies. The Soviet Union supported communism in the north, while the south was pro-western. The Ideological differences led to the division of Korea into South Korea and North Korea counties in 1948. North Korea covers the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is the larger of the two countries on the peninsula, covering approximately 120,540 square kilometers. As a northern state, it is nearest to mainland Asia. It is bordered by Russia and China to the north, along the Amnok River. [...] The Korean Peninsula is located in East Asia between Japan and China. It is characterized by varied topography and geographical features, including plains, mountain systems, and rivers. The southern and western portions comprise well-developed plains, while the northern and eastern portions are mainly mountainous.