Japan had ruled over Korea in 1910 and was still ruling Korea when World War Two ended. When Japan lost in the war, Korea had to be split into two parts and it was agreed by the USA and the USSR that the two countries would get a part each (USSR having North and USA having South). This was at first to be not for a long time and at the Council of Foreign Minister's Moscow Conference in December 1945, TheUnited States and USSR agreed on Korea having a provisional government (a government set up quickly when a large country's government does not work anymore). This was difficult because of the growingCold War (see next cause).