• 1969

    • - The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art was established at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
    • - Foundation of the Korea Avant-Garde Association (AG)
    • - Foundation of the Korea Modern Sculptors Association
    • - 3rd Johyeonghoe, association of sculptors who graduated from Seoul National University
    • A video work titled The Meaning of 1/24 Second by Kim Ku-lim
    • 18th Korean National Arts
    • Exhibition divided its Western-style painting segment into representational painting and non-representational painting.
    • - Cheongdonghoe, group of Western-style painters, held its inaugural exhibition.

    • - The arrest of spy Lee Su-geun was announced.
    • - The Gyeongin Expressway began operation.
    • - National vote on constitutional amendment
    • - Park Chung-hee announced that the results of the vote count would determine the amendment

    • - Samuel Beckett won a Nobel Prize.
    • - Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon.

  • 1968

    • - Korea Modern Painting Exhibition
    • - Hoehwa 68 (Painting 1968) Inaugural Exhibition
    • - Foundation and the 1st exhibition of the Modern Space Club
    • - Exhibition of Ihoo Artists
    • - President Park Chung-hee ordered a crackdown on noxious cartoons.
    • - The Cheongwadae Raid (known in South Korea as the Jan. 21 Incident), was an unsuccessful attempt by North Korean commandos to assassinate the President Park Chung-hee. Thus, the Homeland Reserve Forces were organized.
    • - A statue of General Yi Sun-sin was unveiled on Sejong-ro.
    • - Kim Jong-pil resigned from politics.
    • - Resident Registration Cards were issued to replace city or province resident certificates.
    • - The Charter of National Education was declared.

    • - Helen Adams Keller died.

  • 1967

    • - National Documentary Painting Exhibition
    • - 1st exhibition of the Korean Painting Association
    • - WHAT Exhibition
    • - Korea Young Artists group exhibition
    • - 1st work of happening (performance art)
    • - 1st Gusang Competition
      • The Dong-A Crafts Competition was held.
    • - Foundation of Gusanghoe, a group of artists specializing in Korean painting
    • - ISPAA International Exhibition
    • - A fleet of 56 navy vessels was attacked by North Korea.
    • - The Education Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to build 18 elementary schools.
    • - The construction of Samgakji Interchange started, beginning operation in December.
    • - Merger of the opposition parties into the New Democratic Party of Korea.
    • - Park Chung-hee won his second presidential election and became the sixth President.
    • - The incident of spies in East Berlin was disclosed.
    • - Gangbyeon-1-ro, 1st toll road in Korea, was completed.

    • - Che Guevara died.
    • - El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was discovered.

  • 1966

    • - Launching of the magazine Space
    • - Establishment of the Korea Painting Association
    • - Korean artists participated in the Tokyo Print Biennale
    • - 1st Korea Commercial Arts Exhibition
    • - Establishment of the Korea Crafts Design Research Institute
    • - Posthumous exhibition of Kim Kyoung
    • - The government decided to send more combat troops to Vietnam.
    • - The Status of Forces Agreement was signed between Korea and the US.
    • - The 2nd Five-year Plan was announced.
    • - Saccharin smuggling affair by Hankook Biryo (Korea Fertilizers Company).
    • - Census of the population of Korea : 29,194,379.
    • - US President Lyndon B. Johnson visited Korea.
    • - The Maeil Business Newspaper published its first issue.
    • - The construction of Korea National Training Center was completed.

    • - The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (Chinese Cultural Revolution)
    • - Walt Disney died.

  • 1965

    • - Establishment of the Korean Art Critics Association
    • - Establishment and the 1st exhibition of New Artists Association
    • - 1st exhibition of Nonkkol (Hongik University art graduates)
    • - Seven Korean Modern Artists Exhibition in Washington
    • - Painting group Mukrimhoe was disbanded.
    • - 1st Exhibition of Seubji (Wetland)
    • - Park Soo geun, Go Hui-dong and Kim Kyoung died.
    • - The state council decided to send non-combat troops to Vietnam.
    • - The second Hangang River bridge was completed.
    • - A proposal to send troops to Vietnam was passed by the National Assembly.
    • - The Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea was signed to normalize relationship between the two nations.
    • - The Garrison Act was imposed and universities suspended classes.
    • - The JoongAng Ilbo published its first issue.

  • 1964

    • - The 13th National Art Exhibition created awards in photography.
    • - Launching of the quarterly magazine GyeganMisul
    • - Epoque, Modern Artists’ Exhibition
    • - Baekyanghoe Competition
    • - 1st issue of children’s magazine Saesonyeon (New Boys)
    • - Exhibition by artists who returned back from France
    • - Representatives of the Democratic Party revealed alleged excessive profits made from flour, sugar and cement.
    • - University students went on a demonstration against humiliating diplomacy with Japan.
    • - Armed soldiers broke into courts and the offices of newspaper company Donga Ilbo (June 8). Emergency martial law was imposed.
    • - The Central Intelligence Agency of Korea formally acknowledged the People’s Revolutionary Party Incident.
    • - TBC-TV broadcasting started.

    • - Photographer August Sander and poet T.S. Elliot died.
    • - Jean-Paul Sartre rejected the Nobel Prize.

  • 1963

    • - Some 108 artists voiced concerns over fairness in the selection of participants in the Paris Biennale and São Paulo Biennale.
    • - Art coteries such as Eastern-style painters Shinsuhoe, sculptors group (and Seoul National University graduates) Nakwoohoe, Wonhyeonghoe, Westernstyle painters Origin were founded and held their first exhibitions.
    • - The Korea Industrial Artists Association was founded.
    • - Korea Young Artists Exhibition
    • - The prohibition on political activities was lifted.
    • - Seoul saw severe inflation: a 50% increase in the sugar price.
    • - Park Chung-hee declared that he would not join the new government, but later turned over.
    • - Park Chung-hee won the presidential election.
    • - Some 123 mine workers were sent to West Germany.
    • - The Jangchung Gymnasium opened.
    • - The ban on the film Obaltan (The Aimless Bullet) was lifted.

  • 1962

    • - Foundation and 1st exhibition of the Performance group Mu-dongin
    • - 1st exhibition of Shinsanghoe
    • - 1st invitational exhibition of art group Munhwa Jayu (Culture & Liberty)
    • - Posthumous exhibition of Shim Hyung-gu
    • - Inaugural exhibition of July Issue
    • - Establishment and 1st exhibition of Actuel
    • - Launching of the New Artists Award
    • - System to denote the name of years changed to AD.
    • - Five-year Economic Development Plan was announced.
    • - Park Chung-hee declared democratic transfer of power in 1963.
    • - President Yun Posun resigned from presidency.
    • - Park Chung-hee became acting president.
    • - Second currency revolution (redenomination at a ratio 1:10) : the hwan, currency of Korea from 1953 to 1962, was changed to the won.
    • - National vote on constitutional amendment
    • - 1st general assembly of the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea
    • - The Daughters of Pharmacist Kim by Pak Kyongni

    • - The Berlin Wall was built.
    • - John F. Kennedy was elected as US President.
    • - The Soviet Union succeeded in launching the world’s first manned space flight.

  • 1961

    • - Re-establishment of the Korea Art Association through unifying with Daehan Art Association.
    • - 1st Exhibition of 2.9 Art Coterie
    • - Yeonlibjeon, a joint exhibition of the Modern Art Association and 1960 Art Association
    • - Korean artists participated in the 2nd Paris Biennale.
    • - 1st Exhibition of Engagement
    • - Korea’s first short animation The Ants and Katydids was produced and released.
    • - Enforcement of censorship for animation
    • - Baekyanghoe held an exhibition in Japan.
    • - The May 16 Military Coup: Emergency martial law and a news blackout were imposed.
    • - The Military Revolutionary Committee turned into the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction.
    • - Forty-four people, including Jang Do-young, were arrested for alleged anti-revolution activities.
    • - The Federation of Korean Trade Unions was established.
    • - Park Chung-hee, the head of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, visited the US.
    • - Large-scale changes in mass media organizations. About 1,200 regular publications were discontinued. A crackdown on quasi-reporters occurred.
    • - KBS-TV broadcasting began.

  • 1960

    • - 1st Mukrimhoe Group Exhibition
    • - 1st Wall Art Exhibition
    • - 1st exhibition of 1960 Art Association
    • - Baekyanghoe Exhibition in Hong Kong and Taiwan
    • - Go Hui-dong was elected as a representative of the Democratic Party.
    • - Death of Oh Il-young
    • - Completion of Gimpo International Airport
    • - Artists campaign to support Rhee Syngman in his bid for office
    • - Fraudulent presidential election on March 15
    • - Demonstration in Masan and the April 19 Revolution
    • - Dead body of Kim Ju-yeol, a student killed by a tear-gas shell at demonstration against the March 15 elections, was founded in Masan Harbor. 2nd Masan Demonstration
    • - Yun Posun became the fourth President of Korea.
    • - The Kyunghyang Shimun was reissued.
  •               Arts
  •           Social and cultural events
  •        Abroad

This content was originally published in Korean in the special feature of Wolganmisool Vol. 367 (August 2015) and with their Kind permission is translated and published by KAMS.