1945 The official North Korean newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, is first published under the name ''Chongro''. Australia joins the United Nations.
1946 The Chondoist Chongu Party is founded in North Korea.
1948 The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) is established, with Kim Il-sung as leader.
1948 Republic Day of Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
1950 The Korean War begins with the invasion of South Korea by North Korea.
1950 Seoul is captured by North Korean troops.
1950 Korean War: North Korean troops initiate the Battle of Taejon.
1950 United Nations troops recapture Seoul from the North Koreans.
1950 Korean War: United States Air Force Lt. Russell J. Brown shoots down two North Korean MiG-15s in the first jet aircraft-to-jet aircraft dogfight in history.
1950 Korean War: Troops from the People's Republic of China launch a massive counterattack in North Korea against South Korean and United Nations forces (the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River and the Battle of Chosin Reservoir), ending any hopes of a quick end to the conflict.
1950 Korean War: North Korean and Chinese troops force United Nations forces to retreat from North Korea.
1950 U.S. President Harry S. Truman declares a state of emergency, after Chinese troops enter the fight with communist North Korea in the Korean War.
1951 Korean War: Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul.
1953 The Korean War ends when the United States, the People's Republic of China, and North Korea sign an armistice agreement. Syngman Rhee, President of South Korea, refuses to sign but pledges to observe the armistice.
1968 North Korea seizes the {{USS|Pueblo|AGER-2}}, claiming the ship had violated their territorial waters while spying.
1968 The crew of the USS ''Pueblo'' is released by North Korea after being held for 11 months on suspicion of spying.
1983 A North Korean Ilyushin Il-62M jet en route to Conakry Airport in Guinea crashes into the Fouta Djallon mountains in Guinea-Bissau, killing all 23 people on board.
1991 Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia join the United Nations.
1993 North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea says that it plans to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and refuses to allow inspectors access to its nuclear sites.
1994 North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea and the United States sign an agreement that requires North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program and agree to inspections.
1997 Hwang Jang-yop, secretary in the Workers' Party of Korea and a prime architect of North Korea's Juche doctrine, defects at the South Korean embassy in Beijing along with his aide, Kim Dok-hong.
1998 North Korea reportedly launches ''Kwangmyŏngsŏng'', its first satellite.
2000 President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea meets Kim Jong-il, leader of North Korea, for the beginning of the first ever inter-Korea summit, in the northern capital of Pyongyang.
2002 In his State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an ''Axis of Evil'', in which he includes Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
2002 Naval clashes between South Korea and North Korea lead to the death of six South Korean sailors and sinking of a North Korean vessel.
2004 Two fuel trains collide in Ryongchon, North Korea, killing up to 150 people.
2004 Communications in North Korea: North Korea bans mobile phones.
2006 North Korea tests four short-range missiles, one medium-range missile, and a long-range Taepodong-2. The long-range Taepodong-2 reportedly fails in mid-air over the Sea of Japan.
2006 North Korea launches at least two short-range Nodong-2 missiles, one SCUD missile and one long-range Taepodong-2 missile.
2006 North Korea allegedly tests its first nuclear device.
2007 The Doomsday Clock is set to five minutes to midnight in response to North Korea nuclear testing.
2007 Japan launches its fourth spy satellite, stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats such as North Korea.
2007 Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953.
2007 President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea walks across the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea on his way to the second Inter-Korean Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
2009 North Korea launches its controversial Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 rocket. The satellite passed over mainland Japan, which prompted an immediate reaction from the United Nations Security Council, as well as participating states of Six-party talks.
2009 North Korea allegedly tests its second nuclear device. Following the nuclear test, Pyongyang also conducted several missile tests building tensions in the international community.