Today in Korean history

Dec. 4

1884 -- Kim Ok-kyun, Pak Yong-hyo and other young reformist officials, supported by the Japanese government, briefly seize power in a coup, seeking to modernize and open Korea's last kingdom, the Yi Dynasty. The new group believed Korea should emulate Japan, which institutionalized reforms in 1868 and transformed itself into a modern society. The coup, however, proved to be short-lived, as the Chinese army intervened out of concern that the balance of power on the Korean Peninsula was shifting decisively toward the Japanese.

1964 -- South Korea and West Germany sign an accord aimed at promoting economic exchanges.

1979 -- A military court begins the trial of eight people, including former intelligence chief Kim Jae-kyu, on charges of assassinating President Park Chung-hee. Park was shot dead on Oct. 26, 1979, having held power for 19 years following a military coup.

2003 -- The National Assembly overrides President Roh Moo-hyun's veto and passes a bill for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate his former aides on corruption charges. The move by the opposition-controlled assembly came just nine days after Roh vetoed the bill, saying there was already an ongoing investigation by prosecutors into the alleged irregularities.

2013- The secretariat of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) of the United Nations formally kicks off in South Korea's Songdo, west of Seoul, under the goal of raising money from industrialized nations to help developing countries tackle climate change.

2018 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern agree to further enhance their countries' cooperation in various areas, including trade and Antarctic research.
(END)