SEOUL — April 10 marks several noteworthy events in South Korea's history, including technological advancements, pivotal political movements, and cultural milestones. In 1900, Hanseong Electric installed the country's first street lights in Jongno, central Seoul, marking the advent of electric energy production in Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Significant political developments occurred on this date as well, such as the first meeting of the provisional government in Shanghai in 1919, aiming to reclaim sovereignty from Japanese colonial rule, and the adoption of the modern name "Daehanminguk" for Korea. Other notable events include the 1957 class boycott by Seoul National University law students, the construction of the second government complex in Gwacheon in 1979, the approval of direct trade with North Korea in 1991, and the initiation of a nuclear safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1992.
Additionally, significant advancements in diplomacy and technology were marked by the opening of direct telephone lines with the United States in 1995, the announcement of the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000, and the docking of the Soyuz spacecraft carrying South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-yeon, with the ISS in 2008. Recent years have seen developments in cybersecurity and financial stability, with the identification of North Korea as the perpetrator behind a massive hacking attack in 2013 and a credit outlook upgrade for South Korea by Moody's Investor Service in 2015.