2012 in South Korea

Centuries:	; 20th; 21st; ; ;
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See also:	Other events of 2012; Years in South Korea; Timeline of Korean history; 2012 in North Korea

Events in the year 2012 in South Korea.

Incumbents

March 8 – The South Korean military holds a live-fire land and air exercise near the North Korean border at Pocheon.^[1]
March 12 – The South Korean government lodges a formal protest against Chinese claims to territorial jurisdiction over the Socotra Rock (Ieodo).^[2]
March 15 – The South Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement comes into effect.^[3]
March 22 – Korea National Oil Corporation announces a cut in imports of Iranian oil.^[4]
March 23 – US President Barack Obama nominates Seoul-born Jim Yong Kim for the presidency of the World Bank.^[5]
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.^[6]

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.^[7]
April 11 – The 2012 legislative elections were held.

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 Brood War being completely phased out in October.^[8]^[9]
May 12 – August 12 – The Expo 2012 took place.

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.