The second U.S.–Soviet Joint Commission reconvened but broke down, and the United States referred the Korean question to the UN, opening the way to UN-observed elections and a government. Politics were volatile—coalition leader Lyuh Woon-hyung was assassinated and a police shooting on March 1 raised tensions on Jeju—but Suh Yun-bok's Boston Marathon victory brought the nation great joy.
The year in Korea
Mar 1Police fired on crowds during a March 1 commemoration on Jeju, killing civilians—an event regarded as the starting point of the Jeju April 3 incident. [Source]
May 21The second U.S.–Soviet Joint Commission reconvened but ultimately failed to reach agreement. [Source]
Jul 19Lyuh Woon-hyung, leader of the left–right coalition movement, was assassinated at the Hyehwa-dong rotary in Seoul. [Source]
NovFollowing a UN General Assembly resolution, the UN Temporary Commission on Korea was set up to observe elections on the peninsula. [Source]
Korean Ox Drawn Trailer in Seoul, KoreaPhoto: United States Army Signal Corps; Harry S. Truman Library &… · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsDemonstration in support of the US-Soviet Joint Commission1Photo: Korean People Journal · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsKorean Women and Children in Seoul, KoreaPhoto: United States Army Signal Corps; Harry S. Truman Library &… · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsKorean Walker - Flickr - dok1Photo: Don O'Brien from Piketon, Ohio, United States · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Aug 15Under the Indian Independence Act, India and Pakistan became independent dominions, ending British rule. [Source]
Songs, shows & trends
Sports
Suh Yun-bok wins the Boston Marathon — On April 19 he won the 51st race in a world-best 2:25:39, the first Asian winner. [Source]
Books
Great Korean Dictionary, Vol. 1 — The Korean Language Society published the first volume of the dictionary it had been compiling since the colonial era. [Source]
Year League: the best year
Sources
Each [Source] link points to the Wikipedia article for that item. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the license shown with each one. Click a photo to open its original file page. More about this year on Wikipedia
