Seoul: The timeline of Korean history on April 28 is marked by a series of significant events ranging from assassination attempts to international space missions. On this day in 1926, Song Hak-seon, a fervent fighter for Korean independence, made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Makoto Saito, the Japanese governor general in Korea, highlighting the tension and resistance against Japanese colonial rule.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the date also marks several other pivotal moments in Korean history. In 1960, political turmoil led to a tragic incident when Lee Ki-boong, who had recently resigned as vice president following the April 19 student revolution advocating for democracy, committed suicide along with his family at the presidential residence in Seoul. This event underscored the intense political unrest during that period.
In a somber turn of events in 1986, two student activists, Kim Se-jin and Lee Je-ho, took drastic measures by burning themselves to death at Seoul National University as part of an antiwar, anti-nuclear protest, reflecting the era's heightened activism and dissent.
The year 1995 witnessed one of the deadliest accidents in South Korea's history when a massive gas explosion during the morning rush hour at a subway station construction site in Daegu claimed the lives of over 100 people. This tragic incident drew attention to safety standards and regulations at construction sites.
In 1997, Park Suk-tae, a former executive of Korea First Bank, succumbed to the pressures of a corruption scandal involving the Hanbo Group by committing suicide at his home in Seoul. His earlier testimony at a parliamentary hearing exposed the involvement of many creditor banks in providing loans to the conglomerate in exchange for kickbacks, revealing deep-rooted corruption within the financial sector.
On a more positive note, 2008 marked a historic achievement for South Korea with Yi So-yeon's return from her mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Her journey not only made South Korea the 36th country to send an astronaut into space but also highlighted the nation's advancements in space exploration.
The year 2021 saw the heirs of the late Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-hee announce their decision to pay over 12 trillion won in inheritance taxes, setting a record for the largest tax payment in the country's history. This move was significant in addressing wealth distribution and corporate responsibility.
Most recently, in 2025, North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow's efforts in the ongoing conflict against Ukraine, as part of their mutual defense treaty. The North claimed that its soldiers played a crucial role in helping Russia regain control of the strategic city of Kursk, signaling its active involvement in international military alliances.