SEOUL - Today marks several notable historical events that have shaped the Korean Peninsula. In 1885, a British vessel took control of Geomun Island as a strategic move against Russian expansion. The year 1910 saw the publication of a significant grammar book by linguist Ju Si-gyeong, standardizing modern Korean usage. Notably, 1912 is the birth year of Kim Il-sung, North Korea’s founding leader.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Other critical events include the 1919 Jeam-ri massacre by Japanese police, the establishment of the Marine Corps in 1949, and a deadly 1969 incident where North Korea downed a U.S. plane. More recent events include North Korea's withdrawal from nuclear talks in 2009, the salvaging of the sunken naval ship Cheonan in 2010 following a North Korean torpedo attack, and significant electoral and public health milestones in 2020 and 2022 respectively, reflecting on the nation's enduring spirit and challenges.