Today in Korean history

Nov. 19

1598 -- Joseon Dynasty naval commander Yi Sun-sin dies during a battle with Japanese invaders in the southern sea. The admiral of the Korean fleet led the fight against Japanese invaders with his innovative "turtle ships," from which Korean soldiers, protected within by the ship's iron armor, could attack the enemy.

1968 -- South Korea establishes diplomatic relations with Swaziland.

1985 -- South Korea signs the International Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, established five days earlier.

1997 -- South and North Korea's air traffic control towers make direct contact for the first time since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War as a prelude to the opening of North Korea's airspace in April 1998.

2005 -- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders adopt declarations to free up trade and curb terrorism in the region.

2009 -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President Barack Obama vow to make efforts to denuclearize N. Korea and ratify a free trade agreement between their two countries.

2010 -- A U.N. General Assembly committee adopts a resolution on N. Korea's human rights violations.

2019 -- North Korea's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee Chairman Kim Yong-chol says his country has no interest in denuclearization negotiations with the United States unless Washington drops its "hostile" policy. His remarks came two days after the decision made by South Korea and the U.S. to postpone military exercises in support of diplomatic efforts to denuclearize the North on Nov. 17.
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