Today in Korean History

Today in Korean History



Aug. 15

1945 -- Korea is liberated from Japan's colonial rule, which began in 1910. On
the same day, Yeo Un-hyung (1886-1947), a left-leaning nationalist, sets up a
national foundation preparation committee.

1948 -- The government of the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, is established.


1953 -- The South Korean government moves the country's capital back to Seoul
from Busan, a port city 453 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The government made
the switch to Busan after North Korea started the Korean War in June 1950.

1974 -- Moon Se-kwang, a 23-year old Korean-Japanese man, attempts to assassinate
then President Park Chung-hee at a ceremony to mark the anniversary of Korea's
liberation from Japan's colonial rule. Park was not injured, but his wife Yook
Young-soo suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Moon was arrested,
sentenced to death and executed.

1995 -- The South Korean government starts to demolish a building used as the
Japanese governor-general's office during Japan's colonization of the Korean
Peninsula.

2000 -- The first reunions of separated families from South and North Korea since
the division of the peninsula in 1948 are held in Seoul and the North's capital
Pyongyang. The reunions were arranged in accordance with an agreement at the
historic inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in June 2000.

2005 -- South and North Korea hold a reunion of 40 separated families via video
for the first time.
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