North Korea

By allieweiss

  • Seperation from Japan

    Circa 1945, After World War II, Japanese occupation of Korea ends with Soviet troops occupying the north, and US troops the south.

  • Democratic People's Republic of Korea

    Circa 1948, Democratic People's Republic of Korea proclaimed. Soviet troops withdraw.

  • Seperation of Korea

    Circa 1950, South declares independence, sparking North Korean invasion.

  • War Ends

    Circa 1953 - Armistice ends Korean War, which has cost two million lives.

  • First act done to U.S.

    Circa 1968, US intelligence-gathering vessel seized by North Korean gunboats.

  • U.S. Plane shot down

    Circa 1969, US reconnaissance plane shot down.

  • Eternal President

    The late Kim Il-song declared "eternal president", while Kim Jong-il's powers widened to encompass head of state.

  • Nuclear Weapons Threat

    Circa July 2003, Pyongyang says it has enough plutonium to start making nuclear bombs.

  • Official "building" of nuclear weapons

    Circa February 2005, Pyongyang says it has built nuclear weapons for self-defence.

  • Nuclear Weapon Test

    Circa October 2006, North Korea claims to test a nuclear weapon for the first time.

  • Prime Ministers meet

    Circa November 2007, North and South Korea's prime ministers meet for the first time in 15 years.

  • North Korea holds Americans captive

    Circa June 2009, North Korea sentences US journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years hard labour for allegedly crossing the border illegally. They are freed in August, after former US President Bill Clinton visits to help secure their release.

  • Military Title

    Circa February 2012, Kim Jong-il is posthumously awarded the highest military title of Generalissimo - the same rank held by his father, Kim Il-sung.

  • Third Nuclear Weapon launch will be aimed at U.S.

    Circa January 2013, North Korea announces it will carry out a third "high-level nuclear test" and rehearse more long-range rocket launches aimed at the US "arch-enemy". The previous two tests were conducted in 2006 and 2009.

  • Launch of third nuclear weapon

    Circa February 2013, North Korea carries out a third nuclear test, said to be twice as big as the 2009 test.

  • 4 short range missles tested in one weekend

    Circa May 2013, North Korea tests four short-range missile over one weekend.