- 1980 Suppression of democracy movement leads to 5.18 Uprising
- 1981 The "last fugitive" Yoon HanBong seeks political asylum in the U.S.
1983
- The Committee to Support Victims of the Gwangju Uprising formed
- The Korean Resource Center is founded in Los Angeles
- Protests Condemning the Murder of Vincent Chin
- Young Koreans United of Los Angeles is formed
1984
- Young Koreans United of USA formed
- The Korean Resource Center in San Francisco established
- Young Koreans United of San Francisco formed
- Young Koreans United of New York formed
- Young Koreans United of Chicago formed
- Young Koreans United of Seattle formed
- Young Koreans United of Chicago first general meeting held
- YKASEC in New York established
1985
- Young Koreans United of New England formed
- Young Koreans United of Philadelphia formed
- The 5.18 Uprising Commemoration Committee formed
- Young Koreans United of Dallas formed
- YKU holds conference on reunification and Third World solidarity
1986
- Call for U.S. troops and nuclear weapons out of Korea
- Democracy in Korea Committee formed in the U.S.
- Korean American Resource & Cultural Center of Chicago founded
- Young Koreans United of Denver formed
- Young Koreans United of Washington D.C. formed
- Korea Information and Resource Center of D.C. founded
- YKU Conference for the Overseas Movement held in D.C.
- Protests against U.S. troops and nuclear weapons continue
- Protests held in front of the White House
1987
- Torture death of Park Jong Chul leads to hunger strike
- Korean People's Resource Centre in Sydney, Australia founded
- Im Jin-taek original pansori, “TongBaDa” tours the U.S.
- Yoo Hong-Joon and Kim YongTae exhibit a people's art show
- Vigil in remembrance of Korean victims of the nuclear bomb
- "Korea: The Nuclear Trigger of the World" photo exhibit
- YKU holds international conference on democracy and reunification
- Korean Alliance for Peace and Justice of USA is formed
- Dialogue on the problems facing Korea held for general public
1988
- 100,000 sign petition for removal of U.S. nuclear weapons
- YKU holds international conference in New York to support the 8.15 North-South Korea Student Conference for Peace and Unification
- YKU sends two representatives to the 8.15 Conference
- Presidential candidate Baek Giwan tours the U.S.
1989
- YKU’s "Cry of Asia" cultural performance tours Europe and Asia The film "Oh, A Country of My Dreams" screens in the U.S.
- "International March for Peace and Unification” from North to South Korea and the "U.S. Peace March" from New York to D.C.
- International Solidarity Committee for Peace and Unification formed
- Participation in the European Non-Nuclear Arms Reduction Council
- Three week hunger strike against proposed separate membership of the two Koreas into the U.N. and in support of a peace treaty held
U.S. Peace March
From April in 1988 to June 1989, for 14 months, Young Koreans United and the Korean Alliance for Peace and Justice worked with the organizations within the Korea Support Network to gather more than 100,000 signatures for the withdrawal of nuclear weapons in the Korean peninsula. The signature drive enabled YKU and KAPJ members to talk to more than 300,000 people on the need for a nuclear-free Korea. These signatures were carried as a part of the U.S. Peace March that began at the U.N. headquarters in New York to Washington, D.C. In 7 days, YKU members marched more than 150 miles.
International Peace March
In August 1989, working in collaboration with international peace activists, YKU organized the "International Peace march for Peace and Self-Determined Unification of the Korean Peninsula." The delegation which included 120 members of YKU, 30 international allies, South Korean student activist Lim Soo Kyung, and Reverend Moon Hyun Shin, drew the world's attention. YKU members also held hunger strikes for 15 and 22 days to urge the U.N. to conclude a peace treaty and oppose the separate membership of North and South Korea into the U.N. The 22-day hunger strike in October, 1989 was the longest one ever held in front of the U.N. since the U.N.'s establishment.
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