Seoul:On October 26, several notable events in Korean history are commemorated. In 1895, the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled from 1392 to 1910, transitioned from the lunar calendar to the Gregorian calendar.

According to Yonhap News Agency, in 1950, during the Korean War, South Korean and U.S.-led U.N. troops advanced to the Chinese border. The intervention of approximately 1 million Chinese soldiers temporarily shifted the war's favor to North Korea, although the war concluded with an armistice.

In 1979, President Park Chung-hee's 18-year rule ended abruptly when he was assassinated by his intelligence chief, Kim Jae-kyu. Park's tenure was marked by significant economic progress but was criticized for delaying democratic development.

In more recent history, in 1996, North Korean Kim Kyeong-ho's family defected to South Korea. By 2004, breaches were discovered in the Demilitarized Zone's southern boundary fence near Cheorwon, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two Koreas.

In 2009, Hwang Woo-suk, a scientist involved in a cloning scandal, received a suspended prison sentence for embezzlement and violating bioethics laws. Meanwhile, in 2011, South Korea and China agreed to expand their currency swap line to $56 billion to bolster foreign exchange liquidity amid economic uncertainties.

Most recently, in 2021, former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo passed away at 88. He was the last general-turned-president of the nation, serving from 1988 to 1993. His health had declined, leading to his hospitalization, but he did not recover.