Today marks significant historical events in Korea’s past, from a renowned romantic tragedy to notable political developments.
According to Yonhap News Agency, one of the most poignant events occurred when soprano Yun Sim-deok and playwright Kim U-jin, both 29, tragically ended their lives by jumping into the sea from a ship traveling between Japan and Korea. Yun, who rose from a poor family in Pyongyang to become a celebrated music teacher, was the first Korean sponsored by the government to study abroad in Japan. There, she met Kim U-jin, a married man and an English literature student at Waseda University. Their ill-fated relationship, born from a shared passion for the arts, culminated in their joint suicide, leaving behind a legacy that continues to touch the hearts of many in Korea.
In other significant events on this date:
In 1949, Greece officially recognized South Korea, a year after its establishment with support from the United States.
In 1964, South Korea’s National Assembly approved a government plan to send combat troops to Vietnam, signaling the start of a deployment that would grow to 300,000 soldiers fighting alongside the United States until the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, during which several thousand Korean soldiers lost their lives.
In 1998, Hyundai Group signed a joint investment agreement with North Korea, paving the way for the launch of cruise tours to Mount Kumgang, a scenic resort area on North Korea’s east coast, enhancing inter-Korean economic cooperation.
In 2003, Chung Mong-hun, then head of Hyundai Group, died by suicide amid trials over his involvement in a scandal concerning a secret $500 million payment to North Korea ahead of the 2000 inter-Korean summit. This payment was part of broader efforts to expand business ties with North Korea, including the Mount Kumgang tour project.
In 2008, a tragic accident occurred when three South Korean climbers were found dead on the Himalayan K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, after disappearing a week earlier.
In 2015, two Army staff sergeants were seriously wounded due to a land mine explosion in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone.
These events, varying from deeply personal tragedies to significant geopolitical developments, have played a part in shaping Korea’s complex history.