United States and North Korea since 1945

WAR ON THE PENINSULA

1945

The peninsula is divided along the 38th parallel between the Soviet-backed regime of Kim Il-Sung in the North and a South under United States protection

1950

North Korea invades the South, US intervenes to lead a coalition that retakes Seoul

1953

An armistice-- not a full-fledged peace treaty --is signed and Washington imposes sanctions on Pyongyang

"AXIS OF EVIL"

2002

US President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil"

2004

Pyongyang refuses to negotiate with George W. Bush, denouncing him as a tyrant and political imbecile

2005

North Korea ends test moratorium blaming the Bush administration's "hostile" policy

2006

North Korea conducts its first nuclear test

SPY SHIPS AND SPY PLANES 

1968

The spy ship USS Pueblo is captured by North Korea. After 11 months, its 83 crew members are released. According to Pyongyang, the ship violated its territorial waters, a charge the US denies

1969

North Korea shoots down a US spy plane

NEW KIM ON THE BLOCK

2009

North Korea conducts second underground nuclear test

2011

Kim Jong Il dies. His son Kim Jong Un takes power

2013

Kim Jong Un conducts his first nuclear test

2016

Two more nuclear tests in North Korea

BLACKLIST

1987

Bomb allegedly planted by two North Korean agents on a Korean Air flight explodes over the Andaman Sea, killing all 115 on board

1988

Washington puts North Korea on its blacklist of state supporters of terrorism

"FIRE AND FURY"

2017

Series of new missile tests. Kim declares "the entire US territory is now within our ICBM range"

June: American student Otto Warmbier sent back to the US with brain damage after months of detention in North Korea. Dies within a few days

August: US President Donald Trump threatens "fire and fury" if Pyongyang continues to threaten the United States

Sept 3: North Korea carries out its sixth nuclear test, claiming it to be a hydrogen bomb

NEW CONTACTS, NEW LEADER

HISTORIC MEETING 

June 12, 2018

Historic meeting of Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump

North Korea commits to work towards "complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula"

The US "committed to provide security guarantees" to North Korea

The two sides join efforts to build a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula

 

Both sides commit to recovering the remains of US soldiers who dies in North Korea

MISSILE DIPLOMACY

1998

North Korea test fires its first long-range missile

1999

Kim Jong-Il declares a moratorium on missile tests. Washington relaxes sanctions on North Korea

2000

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visits Pyongyang, prompting brief thaw in relations

NO DEAL

February 28, 2019 

Second meeting between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump finishes early without agreement

The two leaders cut short their discussions and ended with no joint communique

Scheduled signing ceremony and working lunch cancelled

Trump says he refused North Korea demand to lift sanctions

Trump says North Korea will not resume nuclear tests