Today in Korean history

Oct. 20

1948 -- A group of soldiers in Yeosu, a port city 455 kilometers south of Seoul, rebels against the South Korean government, which had just been established. The soldiers, who supported the reunification of the two Koreas, refused the government's order to put down protests on Jeju Island by residents who also opposed the government. The demonstrations spread to a nearby city, Suncheon, and the soldiers held the city, along with Yeosu, under their control for a number of days. The government proclaimed martial law to put down the rebellion and occupied the cities with support from the U.S. Army stationed in South Korea.

1990 -- South Korea and China agree to open a trade office, laying the groundwork for the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. The establishment of ties caused Taiwan to pull its mission from South Korea.

1998 -- The South Korean government announces a plan to gradually lift its ban on Japanese popular culture that was imposed 53 years earlier following Japan's colonization of Korea.

2000 -- The Asia-Europe Meeting opens in Seoul with leaders from 26 member countries tackling political, security, economic and social issues. The meeting adopted the Seoul Declaration for Peace on the Korean Peninsula, a commitment to support peace on the peninsula and dialogue and exchanges with North Korea.

2001 -- President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi agree to settle pending issues between their countries, including ones related to Japan's history textbook distortions and South Koreans fishing in waters off the Southern Kuril Islands. At the summit in Shanghai, the two leaders agreed to form a joint history study group.

2003 -- President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush issue a four-point joint press statement calling for the early resumption of, and substantive progress in, multilateral talks on North Korea's nuclear arms ambitions. The statement was released in their meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Bangkok.

2017 -- A public debate committee recommends the resumption of the construction of the Shin Kori-5 and Shin Kori-6 nuclear power reactors. President Moon Jae-in had suspended their construction under his nuclear phase-out policy and commissioned the committee to survey public opinion and make a recommendation on whether the construction should continue or not.

2018 -- South Korea and the United States announce their decision to suspend the Vigilant Ace combined air exercise to support diplomacy for the denuclearization of North Korea. Seoul and Washington have suspended or canceled several combined maneuvers for peace efforts involving the communist country.

2020 -- South Korean chipmaker SK hynix announces it will buy the NAND business of U.S. semiconductor giant Intel for US$9 billion.
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