And once the NK was driven out the US (pretending to be the UN) imposed 'president' Syngman Rhee, imposed dictatorial rule over the nascent democratic movement that started once the Japanese were gone. It's more recent, and I'd hope that the US has been forgiven - but it's worth remembering that we were only kind-of the good guys. For quite a few years (through Rhee's reign and beyond) NK was per-capita more prosperous than SK. That was Rhee - and us.