Key Events of Korea

This section introduces key events of Korean history, organized by period.

Silla

• Hyecho's Trip to India

Goryeo

• The Creation of the Tripitaka Koreana

Joseon

• The Battle of Myeongnyang and Yi Sun-sin
• The Publication of the Dongui Bogam - The Standard for Joseon’s Medicine
• Hamel's Trip to Joseon
• The Opening of Joseon

Japanese Colonial Period

• The Assassination of Empress Myeongseong
• The Independence Movement and Liberation

Post-Liberation

• The Division of Korea and the Korean War

Contemporary Period

• The New Village Movement and Park Chung-Hee's Modernization of the Nation
• The Vietnam War and Dispatched Troops
• The Korean Construction Industry Goes to the Middle East
• Saving the Country: Korean Miners and Nurses Go to Germany
• Korea's Immigration History: Those Who Left Their Motherland
• The Finding Dispersed Families Campaign
• The June Democracy Movement and Korea's Democratization
• The 1988 Seoul Olympics
• The IMF Economic Crisis and Gold Collection Movement
• The 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup
• Gangnam Style and the Power of Hallyu
• Candlelight Democracy