North and South Koreas enter together in the Olympic Games

President Kim Dae-jung wins Nobel Peace Prize

ASEM conference held in Seoul

1st SeMA Biennale Mediacity Seoul

Curator qualification program introduced

National Human Rights Commission of Korea

Korea and Japan co-host the World Cup

Candlelight vigils protest the death of middle school girls by US Army armored vehicle

Second Battle of Yeonpyeong

16th president Roh Moohyun sworn in

Daegu subway tragedy

National Assembly approves troop deployment to Iraq

Kaesong Industrial Complex construction begins

Following the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration in 2000, ‘Agreement on the Construction and Operation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex’ was concluded on August 9, between the South's Hyundai Asan and the North's Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and National Economic Cooperation Federation, initiating the creation of the industrial complex in Kaesong. The industrial complex would leverage South's capital and technology, while the North would provide the land and labor. The launching of the project was a monumental symbol of inter-Korean cooperation on the path to unification.

National Assembly votes in favor of impeaching President Roh Moo-hyun

LEEUM, Samsung Museum of Art opens

Traditional Family Registration System(Hojuje) determined incompatible with Constitution

Ban Ki-moon elected Secretary General of the UN

Hwang Woo-suk fraud case

Hwang Woo-suk, then professor at the Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine, published in the journal Science in 2005, reporting success in creating human embryonic stem cells by cloning, but was proven fraudulent that December by the Seoul National University's investigation committee. Following the scandal, Professor Hwang was stripped of his title of Supreme Scientist on the Ministry of Science and Technology, and was dismissed from his professorship at the national university.

Art Council Korea founded

Founded on March 1973, the Korean Culture and Arts Committee was the precursor to the Arts Council Korea newly launched in August 2005. The council supports diverse cultural activities form art, theater, literature, and traditional arts, performs policy research and provides administrative support. On May 30, 2014, the council moved its main administrative function to Naju Innovation City in the South Jeolla Province. Furthermore, it operates the Daehakro ARKO Art Center, Artist House, ARKO Arts Theater in Seoul, and the ARKO HRD Center in Gyeonggi-do Goyang-si, and manages the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

Cheonggyecheon stream restored

Korea-US FTA concluded

Inter-Korean Summit, October 4th Joint Declaration

17th president Lee Myung-bak sworn in

US subprime mortgage crisis breaks out

Candlelight vigils protest US Beef for BSE

The 2008 candlelight vigils were organized by students and civilians to demonstrate against the Lee Myung-bak administration's resumption of US beef import that May. As the vigils passed a hundred consecutive days and entered the long-term, the people also began voicing their dissent on education issues, the Korea Grand Canal project, public enterprise privatization, and demanded resignation of the administration.

Yongsan catastrophe

Y our Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artist from Korea, LACMA, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts

G20 summit in Seoul

Sinking of the ROKS Cheonan

The sinking of the Cheonan occurred on March 26, 2010. The Korean Navy's "Cheonan" PCC-722 suffered a catastrophic explosion near the southwest coast of Baegnyeong Island. The explosion broke the Patrol Combat Corvette in two and sank it immediately. 40 crew members died, and another 6 crew are unaccounted for. The Korean government formed a joint civilianmilitary investigation group to investigate the cause of the corvette's sinking. The group issued a statement on May 20 of 2010, announcing that a North Korean torpedo had sunk the Cheonan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies

National Assembly ratifies KOR-US FTA

18th president Park Geun-hye sworn in

Sejong Special Self-Governing City opens

Sejong Special Self-Governing City is the 17th local autonomous entity in the nation, and is the only metropolitan council without self-governing communities (city, county, district). Former President Roh Moo-hyun had promised to build an administrative city as a presidential candidate in September 2002. Despite being challenged as unconstitutional and the danger of being repurposed, Sejong City opened as a new administrative capital a decade later in July 1, 2012.

Dansaekhwa: Korean Monochrome Painting, MMCA

Yeosu Expo

MMCA Seoul Branch opens

Asian Games held in Incheon

Sinking of MV Sewol

On April 15, 2014, the Sewol Ferry (Chonghaejin Marine Co., Ltd.) left the Incheon Yeonan Pier for Jeju, and the next day on April 16, capsized and sank 1.5 km off Donggeochado, Jindo County, South Jeolla Province, with hundreds of passengers dead or unaccounted for. Of the 476 passengers on board, only 172 survived, with more than 300 casualties. The Sewol was carrying 324 of Ansan Danwon High School's junior class who were on a school trip to Jeju Island, and many young lives were tragically lost.

Cho Min-suk wins Golden Lion at the 14th Venice Architectur

Government-approved history textbook controversy

The government officially announced its plans to publish history textbooks "to correct bias" on October 12 of 2015, with expected usage beginning in 2017. Then in November 3, arbitrary plans were notified, detailing mandatory usage of government-issued history textbooks. Despite fierce resistance from historians and numerous scholars, the Park Geun-hye administration designated the National Institute of Korean History as the publishing institution, and planned to write new textbooks beginning November 2015 for a year. The government-issued Korean history textbooks for the high school curriculum were unveiled on January 31, 2017. The final version contained numerous errors, including glorification of Rhee Syngman and Park Chunghee, alternative facts, and grammatical issues, and continues to be the subject of controversy.

Im Heung-soon wins Silver Lion at 56th Venice Biennale

Candlelight vigils protest meddling of state affairs by Choi Soon-sil

Soon after JTBC's broke the story of President Park's shadow advisor Choi Soon-sil and peddling of influence, on 29th of October, about 20,000 people gathered (organizer estimate) to hold a candlelight vigil. The crowd grew with each iteration of the candlelight vigil, and by the sixth candlelight vigil, 2.32 million people gathered in the square, the largest in Korean history. Slogans and pickets changed from denouncing influence peddlers, to demanding resignation of President Park, then on to impeachment of President Park. Despite the candlelight vigils being a relatively long-term event at a massive scale, no violent clashes occurred. The non-violent, peaceful rallies defined a new page in the history for democracy in Korea.

Controversy over targeted blacklisting of individuals in the culture-and-arts industry

Park Geun-hye 18th president impeached

The 57th Venice Biennale Korean Pavilion: Counterbalance

Night-time curfew lifted

Professional baseball league launched

Busan American Council building arson incident

Ho-Am Art Museum opens

Rangoon bombing

KBS, live-broadcast for displaced families

Nym Wales' The Song of Ariran published

Park Nohae's Dawn of Labor published

Nam June Paik presents international satellite installation Good Morning, Mr. Orwell

North-South displaced family delegations

American Culture Center in Seoul seized in protest

North Korea joins Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty(NPT)

Asian Games held in Seoul

First trade surplus

Korea participates in its first Venice Biennale (42nd) with Ha DongChul and Ko Young-Hoon

MMCA relocates to Gwacheon

The Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art constructed and relocated to a new venue south of Seoul in Gwacheon, featuring facilities capable of hosting international events, and an outdoor sculpture area. When the Museum's director Lee KyungSung was appointed to his position, he is said to have requested the Minister of Culture and Sports to grant the wish of the Korean art community. The Gwacheon MMCA venue continues to serve as the nation's quintessential art institution, collecting and preserving artworks and materials, opening exhibition and performing research, and networking internationally. Furthermore, Gwacheon MMCA fosters art activities and training to boost public awareness of culture-and-arts.

June Struggle for Democracy

National Council for the Representatives of College Student organized

13th president Roh Tae Woo sworn in

Korean Air Flight 858 bombed

An aircraft (KE858) flying from Baghdad, Iraq, to Seoul, South Korea exploded in mid-air over the Indian Ocean, on November 29, 1987, by a bomb detonated by North Korean agents. It was the last act of airline terrorism by North Korea against the South, and the United States placed North Korean on the list of rogue-states until September 2008.

Summer Olympic Games in Seoul

Korean Union of Teaching and Educational Workers formed

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index surpasses 1,000 points for the first time

Seoul Museum of Art(SeMA) opens

Min Joong Art: A New Cultural Movement from Korea, Artist Space, New York

Overseas travel liberalized for all citizens

Rev. Moon Ik-hwan visits North Korea

On March 25, Reverend Moon Ik-hwan, standing advisor to National Alliance for Democracy & Reunification of Korea visited Pyeongyang with others by invitation from the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland. Around that time, South Korean novelist Hwang Sokyong, spokesperson for the Korean People Artist Federation, arrived in Pyeongyang. On April 2, Reverend Moon Ik-hwan and his companions had talks with Chairman Kim Il-sung over two occasions, and issued a joint statement with the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, outlining 9 articles. Reverend Moon and his company were arrested upon landing in Gimpo Airport, on charge of violating the National Security Law.

Shin Hak-Chul arrested, The History of Modern Korea-Rice Planting seized

Painter Shin Hak-Chul depicted an image of undesirable foreign influences, ranks in society, military dictatorships being pushed away to plant rice seedlings in his work The History of Modern Korea- Rice Planting. It was presented at The 2nd Reunification Exhibition (Grimmadang Min) in 1987. It sparked a problem when it was featured in the 1989 calendar publish by the Korean People’s Artists Association. On August 17, 1989, an anti-communist investigation arrested Shin Hak- Chul at his house, and seized his works, including Rice Planting, under the applicable national security law for praise and incitement violations.

Korea-Russia diplomatic relations established

First post-war inter- Korean team (table tennis and football)

Korea joins the UN

APEC Conference in Seoul

Korea's first satellite Wooribyeol 1 launched

14th president Kim Young-sam sworn in

Museum and Art Gallery Support Act enacted

Yook Keun Byung shows at 9th Kassel dOCUMENTA

North Korea withdraws from Non-Proliferation Treaty

First Korean website opens

Daejeon Expo

Nam June Paik(German Pavilion) wins Golden Lion at the 45th Venice Biennale

Across the Pacific: Contemporary Korean and Korean American Art, Queens Museum, New York

15 Years of Min Joong Art, MMCA

Whitney Biennial at Seoul MMCA

The Whitney Biennial in Seoul opened at the Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Never before opened outside the United States, the Whitney Biennial in Korea was a subject of significant discussion, even within the New York art community. Internationally renowned video artist Nam June Paik had close ties with the Whitney Museum of American Art at the time, and was said to be a major reason behind the decision. Paik is said to have paid $250,000 gladly to help cover the cost of taking the exhibition overseas.

Chairman Kim Il-sung dies

Seongsu Bridge collapses

Sampoong Department Store collapses

1st Gwangju Biennale

Venice Biennale Korean Pavilion opens

Jheon Soo-Cheon wins Honorable Mention at the 46th Venice Biennale

Korea joins the OECD

Japanese General Government Building demolished

Morning of August 15, 1995, at 9:21 am, as part of commemorating 50 years of independence, the copperplate dome structure at the top of the former Japanese General Government Building was removed. There had been much public debate on the issue of whether to keep or demolish the building. With the removal of the dome, the structure was dismantled, and completely removed in 1996.

15th president Kim Daejung sworn in (first opposition party candidate to win election)

Korea officially requests IMF bailout

December 3, 1997, the Korean Government, facing national bankruptcy, submitted a Letter of Intent and Memorandum of Economic Policies to the IMF. Gross official reserves declined sharply as an unprecedented number of conglomerates moved into bankruptcies, requiring a $21 billion bailout from the IMF. Foreign currency reserves fell as low as $3.9 billion at a point, but the $19.5 billion bailout was enough to prevent a national bankruptcy.

Kang Ik-Joong wins Honorable Mention at the 47th Venice Biennale

Mt. Kumgang tours begin

Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Ju-yung visits North Korea via Panmunjom

In June and October of 1998, Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Ju-yung crossed over Panmunjom and entered North Korea with trucks carrying 1,001 head of cattle. At his first visit, Chairman Chung Ju-yung shared his sentiment, "I sincerely hope this visit serves as a foundation for future reconciliation and peace between the North and the South". Chairman Chung Ju-yung's visit with the herd of cattle is monumental as the event that catalyzed rapid advancements in inter-Korean exchange in the non-governmental sector.

First inter-Korean summit, post-division

Korea begins broadband internet service

Lee Bul wins Honorable Mention at the 48th Venice Biennale

Constitution unjustly amended to allow Park's third term in office

3rd five-year economic development plan

Korean Avant-Garde Association publishes first issue of AG Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art opens in former Chosun-governor Office Museum

October 20, 1969, the Gyeongbokgung annex, former Governor-General Museum of Art, reopened as the Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. This was in line with the Park Chung-hee administration's 1965 "Building Plan for General Museum," while also a response to a need to establish a separate institution for exhibiting and researching art works. Initially, all members from the director to the lowest staff were governmental administration officers, and the institution was operated by consulting artists and critics.

Gyeongbu Expressway opens

Self-immolation of Jeon Tae-il, worker's rights activist

Jeon Tae-il became a laborer at the Seoul Peace Market garment factory at the age of 17. He fought across various fronts to improve the working environment of laborers. On November 13, 1970, when the picketed protests for better working conditions was forcibly dispersed by police, Jeon poured fuel on himself and committed self-immolation, screaming through the flames, "We are not machines, enforce the labor code." He was transported to a hospital but died soon after.

Saemaul Movement begins

The Saemaul Movement is a nation-wide community development effort initiated by the Park Chung-hee administration in 1970. On April 22, 1970, a governor’s conference was held to deliberate on counter-drought measures. In addition to disaster recovery plans for the victims, President Park Chung-hee advocated a community-building project based on the spirit of diligence.

AG inaugural exhibition Dynamics of Expansion and Reduction

State of national emergency declared

President Park Chung-hee serves consecutive office as 7th president

Silmido Unit 684 mutiny

Space and Time (S.T.) inaugural exhibition, Public Relations and Information Office

The July 4 South-North Joint Communiqué

President Park Chung-Hee serves consecutive office as 8th president

Yusin Constitution passed

The Yusin Constitution was declared October 17, 1972, as the Constitution of the Fourth Republic and the seventh revision to the Constitution. On that day, President Park Chung-hee declared, that the political system was to be reformed in order to realize our people's destiny of peaceful reunification. He then invoked the National Emergency Right to overstep the Constitution and dissolve the National Assembly. A nation-wide state of martial law was then declared, and ordered a constitutional amendment be drafted within 10 days to be passed by referendum.

Culture and Arts Promotion Act nacted

White-colored Exhibition of 5 Artists, Myeongdong Hwarang (gallery)

The Pyongyang Metro opens

Oil Shock

MMCA relocates to Deoksugung Palace

Korean Culture and Arts Committee(curr. Art Council Korea) established

National League for Democratic Youth an Students incident

First Lady Yuk Young Soo assassinated

Seoul Metro opens

1st Seoul Biennale, MMCA

Chang Chun-ha dies under suspicious circumstances

The Park Chung-hee administration bans 223 songs

Emergency Measure 7 and 9 proclaimed, allowing arrest without warrant

Article 53 "Presidential Emergency Decree" of the Yusin Constitution gave the president supra-constitutional "power to take emergency measures which temporarily suspend the freedom and rights of the people... to enforce emergency measures with regard to the powers of the Executive and the Judiciary." As it was the president's sole discretion to identify when such measures were necessary, the article was essentially an exploitive tool to suppress resistance. In 1975, the administration counters the growing movement against the new constitution, and proclaimed Emergency Decree No. 7 ordering temporary closure of Korea University and deployment of armed forces into university grounds. Emergency Decree No.9 was issued soon after, to prohibit any media recording on the events and arrest offenders without a warrant.

F ive Korean Artists, Five Kinds of White, Tokyo Gallery

In 1975, Five Korean Artists, Five Kinds of White exhibition opened at the Tokyo Gallery, featuring Kwon Young-woo, Park Seo-Bo, Suh Seung-Won, Heu Hwang, and Lee Dong-Youb. The exhibition was initiated by Lee Ufan, and was the first time the Korean Baeksaekhwa was introduced to Japan, and is considered the root of the Dansaekhwa art exhibitions today.

Animated feature film Robot Taekwon V opens

Panmunjom axe murder incident

Galleries Association of Korea founded

US President Carter announces withdrawal plan for USFK

President Park Chung-hee serves consecutive office as 9th president

Dongil Textiles excrementflinging incident

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts opens

11th president Chun Doo-hwan sworn in

National referendum on 7-year presidential term and consitutional amendment

Military regime forces media to merge or close

First negative growth since the Korean War

Gwangju Democratic Uprising

The May 18 Democratic Uprising was led by the people of Gwangju and Jeollanamdo, continuing until May 27. It was Korea's democratization movement, demanding immediate establishment of a democratic government, stepping down of Security Commander Chun Doo-hwan and the new army group, and the end of martial law. The new military regime inserted an airbornetrained unit with counter-riot capabilities against the demonstrating citizens. Violent suppression measures ensued, and countless civilian lives were lost. In 1995, the National Assembly passed the Special Law on May 18 Democratization Movement. Victims of the May 18 Uprising began to receive compensation for their losses, the day was honored as national holiday, their cemetery became a national cemetery, and victims became eligible to receive benefits as people of national merit.

The Deep Rooted Tree magazine defunct by force

Chun Doo-hwan serves consecutive office as 12th president

Martial law lifted

National Art Exhibition of The Republic of Korea closes

When the Korean National Art Exhibition closed in 1982, it had opened 30 times over 32 years. The closing of the exhibition was an established fact dating back to the 70s. Numerous critics chastised the exhibition's stale format and content, and several successful private exhibitions had surpassed the National Art Exhibition in quality.

38th Parallel Line becomes border between US-Russia forces

Liberation

On August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces, ending World War II. Korea gained independence from Japanese colonialization.

3Controversial Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers sign joint declaration

Kim Koo's autobiography Baekbeom Journal published

President Rhee Syngman sworn in as 1st president

US Military Government ban on prostitution goes into effect

Separate governments established on north and south of 38th Parallel Line

National Security Actenacted

April 3 Uprising in Jeju Island

The people of Jeju-do, the military government police, and the North West Korean Youth Association were in an escalating conflict. On April 3, 1948, the left-wing faction of the island rose up in an armed conflict, demanding withdrawal of US military and protesting the single-candidate election. When the US military suppressed the uprising, the people formed a guerrilla force and began an armed struggle which continued until 1949.

National Assembly enacts Farmland Reform Act

Kim Koo assassinated

On June 26, 1949, in the midst of the unification movement, Kim Koo was shot by Korean army lieutenant Ahn Doo-hee and killed.

Amphibious landing on Incheon

Early morning of June 25, 1950, North Korean forces invaded the South in full force, beginning with intensive shelling. North Korean leader Kim Il-sung claimed it was merely a response to South Korean president Rhee Syngman's unsolicited threat, yet the scope and scale of the surprise attack pointed to a long-term plan for aggression. Korea was divided in 1945, but only as a half-measure until the United States and the Soviet Union could reach an agreement on what was in stow for the future of the Peninsula.

Outbreak of the Korean War

General MacArthur relieved as commander of UN forces

During the Korean War, UN Forces Commander General MacArthur clashed with US President Harry Truman concerning possible intervention from Chinese forces. President Truman wished to sign an armistice agreement soon to end the war, but MacArthur issued statements strongly favoring the bombing of Manchuria. The general's disregard for the president's judgment resulted in the general being relieved of UN Forces and Far East Command on April11.

Political Turmoils in Busan and Selected Amendment Bill to the Constitution

President Rhee Syngman frees anti-Communist prisoners of war

Armistice Agreement signed

The ongoing war since June 25, 1950 became a burden to the international alliance and the communist forces. Arranged through a clandestine meeting, the two sides were able to hold the first armistice meeting in Kaesong in July 10, 1951. Then later in July 27, 1953 at Panmunjom, General Mark Wayne Clark of the UN forces and General Secretary Kim Il-sung of North Korea, and General Peng Dehuai (彭德懷) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army signed the Korean Armistice Agreement, ending the war which began more than 3 years ago.

Korea-US Mutual Defense Treaty ratified

Liberty Party amends constitution to allow Rhee's tenure

Novel Madame Freedom stirs up controversy

Liberty Party amends constitution to allow Rhee's tenure

First Korean television broadcast

First Korean fashion show at Bando Hotel, Seoul

Fake Lee Kang-seok incident

August 30, 1957, a young man walked into the Gyeongju Police Station, purporting to be Lee Kang-seok, the adopted son of Rhee Syngman. Under the assumed identity, he enjoyed the luxurious hospitality of the city's chief of police, and was provided a police escort vehicle to tour Gyeongju. The man then went to the Yeongcheon Police Station and received a similar treatment. Governor Lee Geun-jik's son was acquainted with the actual adopted son of Rhee and recognized the fraud, and 3 days later the man was arrested.

The Korean People's Artistists Association established

Ham Seok-heon imprisoned for criticizing regime

Contemporary Korean Paintings exhibition in New York

Korean residents in Japan repatriated to North Korea

Typhoon Sarah hits Korea

April Revolution force Rhee Syngman out of office

4th president Yun Bo-seon sworn in

Cabinet government system amended, Democratic Party gains power

March 15 electoral corruptions

Rhee Syngman Fraud methods employed nationwide included ghost voters, violence against candidacy registration, deprivation of voting rights, open-voting in groups of 3-5, and rigged counts. A series of mass demonstrations erupted, and with the April 19 Revolution, Rhee announced his resignation on April 26.

1st five-year economic development plan

The five-year economic development plan is an economic plan by Park Chung-hee, aimed for economic development of Korea in 5-year increments. It is based on western theory of modernization, aggressive introduction of foreign capital for industrialization, governmentguided foreign investment and export, leaning on the low-wage and low grain pricing policies. The economic development plans led to an unprecedented growth rate of the Korean economy, even giving rise to the neologism "Miracle on the Han River." However, expedited economic growth also came with social inconsistencies including greater dependence on external factors, and widened gap between the rich and the poor.

5th president Park Chunghee sworn in

Miners first dispatched to West Germany

Kim Whanki receives Honorary Award at the 7th Sao Paulo Biennale

Nam June Paik, first solo exhibition in Germany

3-whites (cement, flour sugar) profiteering exposed

Japan-Korea Treaty on Basic Relations

President Park Chung-hee, sends combat troops to Vietnam

2nd five-year economic development plan

Nurses sent to work in West Germany

SPACE first published

ROK-US Status of Forces Agreement effective

President Park Chung-hee serves consecutive office as 6th president

East Berlin North Korean Spy Ring Incident

Young Artists Coalition Exhibition

Homeland Reserve Forces founded

National Charter of Education declared

Korean resident registration system enforced

Contemporary Korean Paintings, Tokyo