Seoul: Korea Telecom launched direct distance dialing nationwide in 1970, allowing customers to make long-distance calls without operator assistance. This innovation marked a significant advancement in South Korea's telecommunications infrastructure, enhancing connectivity across the nation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, other notable events in Korean history include former President Chun Doo-hwan's return to his home in Seoul in 1990 after a period of self-imposed isolation. Chun and his wife, Lee Soon-ja, had confined themselves at Baekdam Temple from November 1988 through December 1990 to avoid public criticism related to the 1980 Gwangju massacre and alleged irregularities during his presidency. Chun's tenure ended in February 1988 after he came to power in 1980 through a 1979 coup.
In 1994, Bobby Hall, a U.S. Air Force pilot based in South Korea, returned to Seoul via the truce village of Panmunjom after being detained in North Korea for 13 days following a forced landing. The incident highlighted ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The National Assembly passed a bill in 1998 to lower the retirement age for teachers from 65 to 62, reflecting broader efforts to reform the education sector. In 2002, the government designated the inner port of Incheon as a duty-free area, furthering economic development initiatives.
In 2005, the National Assembly approved a government plan to reduce South Korea's troop presence in Iraq by one-third while extending their deployment until the end of the following year. This decision was part of a broader strategy to balance international commitments and domestic priorities.
Democracy activist Kim Geun-tae passed away in 2011 at the age of 64. He was a key figure in South Korea's pro-democracy movement, enduring imprisonment and torture during the authoritarian regimes of the 1970s and 1980s.
In 2016, a civic group installed a statue symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in front of the Japanese Consulate in Busan, highlighting ongoing historical grievances between the two nations. In 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, advocating for continued efforts to foster peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
The National Assembly passed a controversial bill in 2019 to establish a separate unit to investigate corruption by high-ranking public officials. This move supported President Moon Jae-in's initiative to reform the prosecution system.