• 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.

Recently Search Word