HISTORY

1950 to 1953 - Korean War

South Korea declared independence from the North led to the invasion of the North into South Korea as an attempt to take over the whole peninsula once again. During the 3-year war, the US and UN troops assisted South Korea against North Korea and their allies. 

July 1953 - Creation of Demilitarized Zone

In result of the war, North Korea and South Korea signed an armistice to not only create a new border between the two nations but to also give the prisoners of war a choice to return to their homelands. The new border is now called the Demilitarized Zone, and it is an area that neither country owns.

The 1988 Summer Olympics was held in South Korea as a way for the country to embrace it's democracy, but was boycotted by North Korea, Cuba, Ethiopia and Nicaragua. Despite this, 159 nations participated with 31 countries taking home gold medals.

March 2001 - Opening of Incheon Airport

Incheon Airport took 8 years to complete, and it is now the largest international airport in Seoul as well as the sixth largest cargo airport in the world. The first airport in Seoul, Gimpo Airport, was unable to expand and was struggling with all the traffic it was receiving and so the government decided to open a newer, larger airport which was Incheon Airport. 

April 2018 - Inter-Korean Summit

Marking it the third time the leaders of North and South Korea have come together, Moon Jae-in and Kim Jung-un met at the Demilitarized Zone to hopefully come together to agree on a formal truce since the two countries have technically been in a state of war since 1953.