2012 in South Korea

Incumbents

• President – Lee Myung-bak
• Prime Minister – Kim Hwang-sik

  Events

January

• The MOFAT Diamond Scandal is exposed.

  February

• February 13 – The governing Grand National Party is renamed the Saenuri Party.

  March

• March 8 – The South Korean military holds a live-fire land and air exercise near the North Korean border at Pocheon.
• March 12 – The South Korean government lodges a formal protest against Chinese claims to territorial jurisdiction over the Socotra Rock.
• March 15 – The South Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement comes into effect.
• March 22 – Korea National Oil Corporation announces a cut in imports of Iranian oil.
• March 23 – US President Barack Obama nominates Seoul-born Jim Yong Kim for the presidency of the World Bank.
• March 26–27 – The 2012 Nuclear Security Summit is held in Seoul, with over 55 leaders from around the world in attendance.
• March 29 – The Bank of Korea reports that with an easing global financial climate, South Korea returned to a current-account surplus in February.

  April

• April 1 – The Blue House releases a statement alleging that over 80% of the cases brought to light in the South Korean illegal surveillance incident of 2010-12 took place under the previous administration of Roh Moo-hyun.
• April 11 – The 2012 legislative elections were held.

  May

• May 2 – At the COEX Intercontinental Hotel KeSPA, Ongamenet, Blizzard Entertainment and GomTV announced the introduction of StarCraft II to professional competitions in South Korea with the being completely phased out in October.
• May 12 – August 12 – The Expo 2012 took place.

  June

July

• July 18 - Tropical Storm Khanun makes landfall over South Jeolla Province.

  August

September

• September 17 - Typhoon Sanba made landfall on South Korea.

  October

• October 7 — Due to an agreement with the U.S., South Korea has been allowed to develop ballistic missiles with a range of as much as 800 km.

  December

• December 19 – The 2012 presidential elections were held.

  Films

• 49th Grand Bell Awards
• 33rd Blue Dragon Film Awards
• 17th Busan International Film Festival

  Television

Music

• 2012 in South Korean music
• List of number-one hits of 2012
• List of Gaon Album Chart number ones of 2012
• List of number-one Streaming Songs of 2012
• 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards

  Sport

• 2012 in South Korean football
• 2012 Korean Grand Prix
• 2012 Korea Professional Baseball season
• 2012 South Korean Figure Skating Championships
• 2012 Korea Open Super Series Premier
• 2012 Korea Open Grand Prix Gold
• 2012 Asia Series
• 2012 Korean Series
• 2012 Asian Tour
• 2012 Asian Weightlifting Championships
• 2012 Asian Wrestling Championships
• 2012 Pacific-Asia Junior Curling Championships
• 2012 World Wheelchair Curling Championship
• South Korea at the 2012 Summer Olympics
• South Korea at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
• South Korea at the 2012 Asian Beach Games
• South Korea at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics