Seoul: Today marks significant moments in Korean history, beginning with the execution of Choi Je-u in 1864. Choi, the founder of the "Donghak" movement, was executed in Daegu for allegedly deceiving the public with false religious theories. The Donghak movement rose in South Jeolla Province as a response to a deteriorating rural economy plagued by heavy taxes and the removal of rice by Japanese forces. The movement opposed Western Christianity and championed Korea's indigenous beliefs, such as "Pungsu" and "Innaecheon."
According to Yonhap News Agency, other notable historical events include the forced relocation of 20,000 Koreans to northeastern China by Japan in 1937, and the death of An Chang-ho in 1938. An was a key figure in Korea's fight for independence from Japanese colonial rule and a founder of Korea's provisional government. In 1959, South Korean labor unions celebrated Labor Day for the first time, although the date was later changed to May 1.
In 1962, diplomatic relations between South Korea and Colombia were established. A significant achievement in sports occurred in 1990 when boxer Lee Yul-woo won the World Boxing Association flyweight title. In 2016, North Korea announced plans to nullify cross-border economic agreements and liquidate South Korean assets in response to new sanctions from Seoul.
In 2017, South Korea's Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, leading to her removal from office and a subsequent presidential election. In 2021, the foreign ministry reported that South Korea agreed to a 13.9 percent increase in its payment for U.S. troops stationed in the country as part of a six-year deal with the United States. Lastly, in 2022, Yoon Suk Yeol of the People Power Party was declared the winner of South Korea's presidential election, narrowly defeating the Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung.