Seoul: South Korea and the United States announced that Seoul would reclaim wartime operational control of its forces from Washington on April 17, 2012. This agreement resolved a significant bilateral issue as the two countries continue to redefine their military alliance established during the 1950-1953 Korean War, when American soldiers fought alongside South Korea against North Korea's invasion. However, due to North Korean provocations and ongoing tension between the Koreas, the transfer of wartime operational control was delayed to a later time.

According to Yonhap News Agency, in 2010, South Korean skater Lee Seung-hoon achieved a historic win by securing gold in the men's 10,000m speed skating competition at the Vancouver Winter Games. He became the first Asian athlete to capture gold in this event at the Winter Olympics.

In 2014, a significant event took place as 357 South Koreans reunited with their 88 North Korean relatives at Mount Kumgang, a scenic resort on the North's east coast. This reunion marked the second round of meetings since the inauguration of the Park Geun-hye government and was seen as a sign of improved relations between the two sides.

Yonhap News Agency reports that in 2018, Lee Seung-hoon continued to make his mark in the world of speed skating by winning gold in the men's mass start event at the PyeongChang Winter Games.

In 2020, the National Assembly made the unprecedented decision to call off its plenary session and temporarily close its main building following the attendance of a COVID-19 patient at a parliamentary forum a week earlier. This marked the first time the parliament was closed due to the infectious disease.