• 2333 BCE – Establishment of Old Choson on the Korean peninsula
• 1st century BCE – Establishment of early Korean kingdoms and chiefdoms
• 660 and 668 – With the fall of Paekche and Koguryo respectively, a period of social stability and economic growth occurred.  The unification of the three early Korean kingdoms was a major milestone in the formation of a united and culturally cohesive population on the Korean peninsula
• 7th through 9th centuries – Buddhism developed into a popular religion
• 958 – Korean dynasty adopted the civil examination system; criteria for appointing people to high-ranking positions were now solely on talent and merit
• 12th century – Korean farmland almost completely planted
• 13th century – Confucianism begins to replace Buddhism as the most commonly observed religion; movable metal type printing is common in Korea
• 14th century – repeated incursions of Japanese pirates along the coastal regions, the invasion of the Chinese Red Turban Bandits, and wars with the Mongol forces
• 1392 – Choson is founded as a new dynasty; the city of Seoul is planned and built
• 15th century – Golden age of Korea’s traditional science; development of Korean literature

Uneasy Neighbor of Japan

• 1592-1598 – Japanese Invasion
• 1602 – Choson accepts Japan’s request for a diplomatic relationship
• 17th through 19th centuries – Artists paint scenes of everyday life; women began to be recognized as independent beings
• 1784 – introduction of Catholicism to Korea
• 1868 –Japan demands that Korea opens its doors to cultural and commercial relations because of the richness of its natural resources.  Prince Hungson refuses, believing that negotiation with foreign powers amounted to a betrayal of the national interest
• 1876 – In the face of a direct military treat from Japan, Korea opens trade ports to Japan
• 1882 – Korea establishes diplomatic relationship with the United States
• 1884 – Arrival of Protestant missionaries to Korea
• 1894 – With the Tonghak Peasant War on Korean soil, the Choson government petitioned to Qing China to dispatch troops to crush the rebellion.  Japan also sent troops to the Korean peninsula, which set the stage for a military showdown with Qing China, resulting in the Sino-Japanese war on Korean land.
• 1896 – Discrimination based on class becomes fully prohibited by law; Choson’s name is changed to the Great Han Empire.
•  
  Around this time, Korea’s national flag and national anthem came into being.  It represents the fundamental principle of evolutionary change, creating the harmonious union of all things
• 1904 – Japan’s military occupies the Korean peninsula and tries to incorporate the Great Han Empire into the Japanese economy
• 1905 – Japan abolishes the use of Korean currency in Korea and allows Japanese banks to assume total authority over taxation and budget financing, thereby severely crippling the Korean economy.  Japan also allows Japanese people to purchase land and run large-scale farms in Korea.
• 1907-1909 – The War of the Righteous Army was comprised of tens of thousands of dismissed Korean soldiers trying to break free from Japanese control.

Japanese Invasion

• 1910 – Japan annexes Korea
• 1919 – Independence Movement begins on March 1 when large numbers of Koreans gather in ten cities across the nation, including Seoul, demanding the nation’s independence in mostly peaceful demonstrations.  The establishment of the Provisional Government of Korea in Exile.
• 
• 1920s – Koreans were actively engaged in the movement to build a new society where everyone could live freely and equally.  Korea is the birthplace of the worldwide movement for the protection of children during this time.
• 1931 – Japan invades Manchuria
• 1932 – Japan invades Chinese territory
• 1937 – Japan begins waging war with China
• Japan’s territorial gains in Korea 1910-1942
   
• 1938 – Total Mobilization Act is enacted to conscript Koreans into the war Japan is fighting on various fronts in the Asia-Pacific region. Statistics up to August 15, 1945, show that 4,146,098 workers were assigned inside Korea and 1,259,933 in Japan. Also, publication in Korean of newspapers and magazines in Korea is stopped and Korean-language teaching was banned from secondary school curricula.
• 1940 – Provisional government of Korea founds the Korean Independence Army
• 1941 – Japan launches invasion of Southeast Asia and declares war on the US.
•  

Liberation, Transition and Division by Foreign Powers

• 1945 – Liberation of Korea with the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allied Forces on August 15 (although the celebration was short-lived owing to international intervention in Korean affairs).
• 1948 – The establishment of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea divided south and north of the 38th Parallel by the United States and the Soviet Union respectively, resulting in the division of the country into South and North Korea.
• 1950-1953 – The Korean War begins on June 25, 1950 when North Korean troops attack the South along the 38th Parallel.  North Korean forces are supported by the Soviet Union and China while South Korea is supported by United Nations forces and the United States.
• 
• 1953 – The two sides remained in a stalemate along the 38th Parallel.  An armistice, wherein neither side declares victory, is signed on July 27.
• 1960 – The April 19th Revolution when a large number of citizens took part in massive protest demonstrations against President Rhee’s attempt to stay in power illegally.  He yielded to the citizen uprising as a result.
• 1961 – May Military Coup that overthrew the civilian government in a coup d’etat.
• 1962 – Economic Development Plans launched with necessary funds borrowed from foreign countries, resulting in an export-driven growth strategy
• 1979 – Serious economic crisis caused by an increase in foreign debt and a decline in exports
• 1980 – The May Eighteenth Democratic Resistance to protest the military’s seizure of power after the assassination of President Pak Chunghee
• 1987 – The June Democratic Resistance resulted in a promise to amend the Constitution for democratization
• 1988 – Seoul hosts the Olympic Games, helping to enhance the country’s status in the international community
• 1990 – Korea’s economy comprises a majority of service sectors for the first time (55%), followed by manufacturing (27%) and agriculture and fishery (18%).
• 1991 – The local autonomous system, which was dissolved at the time of the Military Coup of 1961, is revived.  Both South and North Korea sign the Basic Agreement, where both sides promise to pursue the agenda of joint prosperity based on a spirit of mutual reconciliation and cooperation.
• 1995 – Korea joins the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Recent Era and Reconciliation

• 1997 – The East Asian Financial Crisis.  First ever victory of an opposition party candidate in the presidential elections.
• 2000 – The South North Summit Meeting where leaders from the North and South discussed issues in relation to the peaceful unification of the country without the intervention of outside powers.
• 2005 – The capital of South Korea, Seoul, contains eleven of the world's twelve largest Christian congregations. About 18 percent of the population professed to be Protestants and around 10 percent Roman Catholics.
• 2007 – Inter-Korean Summit between the two leaders of North and South Korea to discuss additional cooperation