The correct answer to the question "What was the significance of the 38th parallel?" is:
2. Divided North and South Korea.
The 38th parallel is a line of latitude that divided North Korea and South Korea following World War II. This division was established in 1945 as part of an agreement between the Soviet Union and the United States to temporarily divide Korea into two zones of occupation after the defeat of Japan. This line became a de facto border between the two countries, with the North being controlled by the Soviet Union and the South being controlled by the United States.
The significance of the 38th parallel lies in the fact that it not only physically separated North and South Korea but also marked the beginning of the Korean War in 1950 when North Korean forces crossed the parallel in an attempt to unify the country by force. This event led to a conflict that lasted for three years until an armistice was signed in 1953, effectively solidifying the division of the Korean Peninsula along the 38th parallel into North and South Korea.
