Seoul: South Korea and the United States signed a mutual defense treaty in 1953, approximately three months following the signing of the Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War. This treaty was a significant step in bolstering the defense collaboration between the two nations amidst the tense post-war environment.

According to Yonhap News Agency, 1956 marked the inaugural celebration of South Korea’s Armed Forces Day. The day was designated by the Cabinet a month prior to honor the service of the country’s military personnel. It commemorates the moment in 1950 when South Korean forces first breached the 38th parallel during the Korean War.

In 1958, South Korea established diplomatic relations with Thailand, further expanding its international connections. Fast forward to 1999, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il met with Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung in Pyongyang to discuss tourism and business ventures. Chung passed away two years after this meeting.

By 2005, the Seoul metropolitan government completed the restoration of the Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, which had been buried under concrete for approximately 47 years. In 2009, a group of eleven North Koreans, including two children, were discovered drifting off South Korea’s east coast, having sailed south of the inter-Korean border seeking refuge.

In 2014, South Korea and Japan engaged in strategic dialogue in Tokyo after a nearly two-year hiatus. The discussions covered various bilateral issues and North Korea’s nuclear program. By 2019, North Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui indicated that Washington and Pyongyang had agreed to hold preliminary contact and working-level negotiations in early October, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.