Korean History Milestones on October 22 Include UN Advance to Chinese Border and OECD Membership

SEOUL, South Korea - Today marks several significant moments in Korean history, from military actions during the Korean War to international collaborations and extraditions.

According to News Releases by Yonhap News Agency, on October 22, 1950, American-led U.N. forces moved to Korea's border with China a little over a month after the Incheon landing. This operation had initially shifted the momentum of the Korean War in favor of South Korea and its allies. However, the U.N. forces were later pushed back by Chinese troops aiding North Korea.

In another notable event, South Korea joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on this day in 1996. The Paris-based group is an organization of developed nations that collaborates on global economic policies.

On October 22, 2002, a South Korean court decided for the first time to extradite a 25-year-old man charged in the United States with multiple counts of armed robbery. This was the first such case involving a Korean citizen since the extradition treaty between South Korea and the United States took effect in December 1999.

Also on this date, but in 2003, dissident Song Doo-yul was arrested for violating South Korea's National Security Law and engaging in pro-North Korean activities. Song, a professor at Muenster University, had returned to South Korea after 36 years in self-imposed exile in Germany. He was initially sentenced to seven years but was later cleared by an appellate court.

Additionally, Finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies convened for two-day talks in Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on this day in 2010. The discussions aimed to resolve global currency disputes and prepare for the Seoul summit held on November 11-12 of the same year.

In more recent history, on this day in 2019, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon attended the enthronement ceremony for Japanese Emperor Naruhito in Tokyo. The visit was largely seen as an effort to improve relations between Seoul and Tokyo, which have been strained over wartime history issues.