Today in Korean history

May 27

1966 -- The Japanese government returns some 1,300 cultural properties to Korea that were sent to Japan during the colonial period.

1968 -- The first S. Korea-U.S. defense ministers' talks begin in Washington.

2008 -- South Korea and China agree to elevate their bilateral relations from the existing comprehensive and cooperative partnership to a "strategic and cooperative partnership" during summit talks held between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, in Beijing, according to officials of both countries.

2009 -- North Korea says it will no longer abide by the Korean War armistice and may retaliate militarily in response to the South's participation in a U.S.-led military drill, further raising tensions following its nuclear test.

2011 -- The leader of a group of Somali pirates is sentenced to life in prison, with three other pirates sentenced to prison terms of 13 to 15 years on charges of hijacking a South Korean freighter in January and shooting the ship's captain.

2014 -- Four female South Korean lawmakers arrive in Japan to protest against nationalistic politicians for raising allegations that the country was justified in using foreign sex slaves during World War II.

2015 -- South Korea, the United States and Japan agree to ratchet up pressure and sanctions on North Korea while continuing efforts to bring the communist nation back to talks. Top nuclear envoys of the regional powers, in a Seoul meeting, concur that an advancement in the North's nuclear capability is "serious" and shared a "sense of urgency" in addressing the problem.
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