South Korea declares independence, sparking the Korean war
Armistice ends Korean war
Period: to
Rapid Industrial growth
North Korea captures USS Pueblo, a US naval intelligence ship
Kim Jong Nam is born
Kim Il Sung announces Kim Jong Il as his successor
Kim Jong Un is born
North Korea joins the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Research nuclear reactor in Yongbyon becomes operational
North and South Korea join the UN
International Atomic Energy Agency accuses North Korea of violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
North Korea test-fires a medium-range Rodong ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan.
Death Of Kim Il Sung
Kim Jong Il becomes leader of North Korea
Severe famine follows widespread floods; 3 million North Koreans reportedly die from starvation
North Korea announces it will no longer abide by the armistice that ended the Korean War, and sends thousands of troops into the demilitarized zone
South Korea captures North Korean submarine in its waters. Crew found dead inside
North Korea fires a multistage long-range rocket
US President George W Bush labels North Korea, Iraq and Iran an "axis of evil" for continuing to build "weapons of mass destruction"
North and South Korean naval vessels wage a gun battle in the Yellow Sea.
North Korea announces it is reactivating nuclear facilities at Yongbyon and expels UN inspectors
North Korea withdraws from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
North Korea withdraws from 1992 agreement with South Korea to keep the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons
North Korea admits publicly for the first time that it has produced nuclear weapons for "self defence"
North Korea launches a long-range rocket, carrying what it says is a communications satellite
Kim Jong Il dies
Kim Jong Un becomes Supreme Leader of North Korea
North Korea and US exchange accusations of cyber-attacks over a Sony Pictures film mocking Kim Jong-un
Government announcement of first hydrogen bomb test met with widespread expert scepticism
Tension rises in war of words with US over North Korean threat to fire ballistic missiles near US Pacific territory of Guam
Kim Jong-un's estranged half-brother Kim Jong-nam is killed by a highly toxic nerve agent in Malaysia, with investigators suspecting North Korean involvement
The United States and North Korea announce that their leaders plan to meet before June to discuss nuclear disarmament on the Korean peninsula
