Seoul:South Korean and U.N. forces recaptured Seoul in 1950, three months after North Korean forces had taken control of the city at the outset of the Korean War. Although North Korean forces briefly regained control of the city four months later, they were ultimately pushed back by U.S.-led allied forces.
According to Yonhap News Agency, in 2009, hundreds of families from South and North Korea came together at Mount Kumgang in North Korea for the first government-arranged reunions in two years. These reunions had been halted since 2007 due to deteriorating inter-Korean relations.
In 2010, South Korea claimed its first U-17 Women's World Cup title by defeating Japan 5-4 in a penalty shootout in Trinidad and Tobago. This victory marked South Korea's first championship in a FIFA-sponsored tournament for both men's and women's football.
In 2011, a South Korean adoptee made history by winning a seat in the French Senate, becoming the first ethnic Korean to ascend to France's top political body.
In 2014, Hyundai Motor Group affiliates approved a significant land purchase in southern Seoul for 10.55 trillion won (approximately US$10.09 billion), marking one of the most expensive land deals in South Korea's history. The consortium included Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp., and Hyundai Mobis.
In 2016, South Korea and the United States conducted a joint maritime exercise in the East Sea. This was a demonstration of strength against North Korea's provocations, following North Korea's fifth and most powerful nuclear test and the firing of three ballistic missiles into the East Sea.
In 2017, South Korea announced a 7.2 trillion-won plan to cut fine dust emissions by 30 percent by 2022. The plan included shutting down aging coal-powered plants, replacing old diesel vehicles, and introducing a new levy on emitters.
In 2018, during a bilateral summit in New York, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed potential incentives for North Korea in exchange for its denuclearization efforts, which were expected to involve a second U.S.-North Korea summit.