1883 – Joseon designates the Taegeukgi as the national flag, establishing the red‑blue‑white emblem that endures as Korea’s flag today [5].

1898 – Korea launches its first telephone service, marking the start of modern telecommunications infrastructure [4].

1905 – Ito Hirobumi becomes Japan’s first ruler of the Korean Peninsula, symbolizing the onset of Japanese colonial rule [22].

1905 – The Japanese colonial government creates the Oriental Development Company in Seoul, eventually controlling nearly one‑third of Korea’s cultivated land [18].

1915 – Colonial authorities order Korean students to sing the Japanese national anthem in schools, enforcing cultural assimilation [20].

Jan 20, 1919 – King Gojong of Joseon dies, ending the reign of the last monarch of the Korean dynasty [7].

1926 – The Governor‑General’s office, the former Japanese colonial headquarters, is completed in Seoul; it later becomes a contested symbol before demolition in 1996 [15].

1946 – Rhee Syng‑man travels to the United States to seek support for Korean self‑rule after liberation from Japan [30].

Jan 26, 1950 – South Korea and the United States sign a mutual defense treaty, laying the foundation for the long‑standing security alliance that persists today [6].

Jan 31, 1951 – The United Nations labels China an “invader” after the People’s Liberation Army enters the Korean War, reflecting Cold‑War tensions [2].

1952 – President‑elect Dwight D. Eisenhower visits South Korea, demonstrating U.S. commitment during the war [30].

Jan 31, 1954 – A commuter train collides with a military truck near Osan, killing over 50 passengers and highlighting civilian‑military traffic safety issues [2].

1957 – The Korean Poets’ Association is founded, creating a formal organization to promote Korean poetry and literary activity [1].

Jan 26, 1962 – Princess Deokhye returns from Japan after three decades in exile, symbolizing closure of the royal family’s colonial diaspora [6].

Jan 26, 1962 – South Korea establishes diplomatic relations with Mexico, diversifying its foreign partnerships beyond traditional allies [6].

Jan 14, 1963 – South Korea formalizes diplomatic ties with Canada, expanding its Western alliances [12].

Jan 20, 1968 – North Korean commandos infiltrate Seoul and approach Cheong Wa Dae; survivor Kim Sin‑jo later declares, “I came here to cut the throat of Park Chung‑hee!” underscoring the raid’s assassination intent [7].

Jan 31, 1968 – Secret U.S.–North Korea talks begin over the captured USS Pueblo, eventually leading to the crew’s 11‑month detention [1].

Jan 31, 1986 – Embassy secretary Do Jae‑sung is abducted in Beirut by Islamic militants, illustrating the risks faced by diplomats during Lebanon’s civil war [2].

Jan 17, 1981 – President Chun Doo‑hwan meets U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, reinforcing bilateral ties and scrapping a planned U.S. troop withdrawal [1][4].

Jan 17, 1981 – The Democratic Korea Party launches, marking the emergence of organized opposition during South Korea’s authoritarian era [10].

Jan 17, 1981 – The military government commutes Kim Dae‑jungs death sentence to life imprisonment, signaling a shift in handling political dissent [3].

Jan 31, 1992 – South Korea opens diplomatic relations with Moldova and Kyrgyzstan, extending its outreach into Eastern Europe and Central Asia [2].

1992 – South and North Korea sign a bilateral trade agreement using own‑flagged ships, enabling direct commerce despite broader political tensions [1].

Jan 31, 1996 – Pop group Seo Taiji and Boys announce a surprise retirement, reshaping the Korean pop‑culture landscape [2].

Jan 17, 1992 – Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa apologizes before the South Korean National Assembly for Japan’s colonial rule, a formal acknowledgment of historical grievances [10].

Jan 6, 1990 – A Korean Air flight crosses former Soviet airspace for the first time, reflecting new aviation routes after the Cold War [15].

Jan 6, 2001 – Prosecutors announce that Daewoo Group engaged in accounting fraud worth roughly 41 trillion won, exposing massive corporate misconduct [1].

Jan 17, 2001 – Seoul seeks Washington’s consent to develop missiles with ranges up to 300 km and warheads up to 500 kg, testing the limits of the 1979 missile‑range accord [10].

Jan 31, 2005 – The Virginia House of Delegates passes a bill requiring textbooks to use “East Sea” alongside “Sea of Japan,” influencing U.S. educational materials [2].

Jan 6, 2005 – Prime Minister Lee Hae‑chan pledges South Korea’s support for tsunami reconstruction at an emergency summit in Jakarta [15].

Jan 17, 2005 – Seoul declassifies more than 1,000 pages of 1965 diplomacy records with Japan, shedding light on past negotiations and fueling compensation lawsuits [10].

Jan 6, 2014 – President Park Geun‑hye proposes reunions for separated families, emphasizing a humanitarian approach amid inter‑Korean tensions [15].

Jan 6, 2016 – North Korea conducts its fourth nuclear test, claiming a hydrogen‑bomb explosion and heightening regional security concerns [15].

Jan 6, 2003 – Lee Jong‑wook becomes WHO director‑general, the first South Korean to lead a major international agency [4].

Jan 6, 2003 – North Korea withdraws from the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty, intensifying global worries about its nuclear ambitions [13].

Jan 31, 2007 – Top nuclear envoys from North and South Korea meet in Beijing and agree to reopen six‑nation talks, reviving diplomatic channels on denuclearization [3].

Jan 31, 2009 – Six‑party talks produce “common understandings” on resuming denuclearization negotiations, reflecting progress in multilateral diplomacy [26].

Jan 31, 2010 – A naval clash near the Northern Limit Line escalates inter‑Korean tensions, with artillery exchanges but no casualties [5].

Jan 31, 2011 – Somali pirates hijack the chemical freighter Samho Jewelry; the South Korean Navy later rescues the crew and captures the pirates, underscoring piracy threats in the Gulf of Aden [11].

Jan 17, 2018 – South and North Korea announce a joint women’s hockey team for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, a symbolic step in inter‑Korean engagement [10].

Jan 20, 2020 – South Korea reports its first confirmed COVID‑19 case, marking the start of the pandemic response in the country [7].

Jan 31, 2022 – South Korea enacts a workplace disaster law that imposes at least one year in prison or fines up to 1 billion won on CEOs of firms with 50 or more employees for serious industrial accidents, aiming to improve industrial safety [5].

Dec 1, 2023 – South Korea successfully launches its first indigenous military spy satellite from a U.S. base in California, achieving autonomy in space‑based intelligence [30].

Dec 9, 2024 – The National Assembly passes a permanent special counsel bill to investigate insurrection charges against former President Yoon Suk‑yeol, reflecting concerns over executive overreach [26].

2024 – Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An‑su is arrested on charges of insurrection and abuse of power for his role in President Yoon’s brief martial‑law imposition [25].

2024 – The Supreme Court finalizes a two‑year prison term for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, upholding his conviction for academic fraud and illegal interference [27].

Jan 15, 2025 – The Corruption Investigation Office detains impeached President Yoon Suk‑yeol at his residence, questioning him for over 10 hours before moving him to detention, marking a dramatic escalation in the political crisis [11].

Jan 19, 2025 – Dozens of Yoon supporters storm the Seoul Western District Court in protest of an arrest warrant tied to his martial‑law declaration, damaging property and injuring police and reporters [9].

Jan 26, 2025 – Prosecutors indict President Yoon Suk‑yeol for leading an insurrection through his brief imposition of martial law on Dec 3 2024, making him the first sitting Korean president charged while in detention [6].