← 1952 1951 1950 1953 in South Korea → 1954 1955 1956
Centuries:	20th 21st
Decades:	1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s
See also:	Other events in 1953 Years in South Korea Timeline of Korean history 1953 in North Korea

Events from the year 1953 in South Korea.

Incumbents

• President: Rhee Syng-man
• Vice President: Ham Tae-young
• Prime Minister: Paik Too-chin (until 24 April), Paik Too-chin (starting 24 April)

Events

• 9 January – According to South Korea's Coast Guard official confirmed report, a passenger ferry Changgyeong-ho capsized off the coast of Busan, and 229 persons perished.^[1]
• 1 August – Cheil Jedang (now CJ CheilJedang), a food manufacturer, was founded.^[2][3]
• The Korea Herald newspaper was founded.
• 1 October – The Mutual Defense Treaty (United States–South Korea) was signed,

Births

• 18 January - Chon Song-Cha.
• 22 January - Myung-whun Chung, Korean conductor and pianist
• 24 January - Moon Jae-in.
• 29 January - Hwang Woo-suk.
• 25 February -Kim Yeong-cheol, South Korean actor
• 10 March - Cho Hun-hyun. Go (game) player.
• 5 April - Tae Jin-ah, South Korean singer
• 22 May - Cha Bum-kun.
• 28 May - Moon Sung-keun, Korean actor
• 27 July - Chung Dong-young, Korean politician
• 18 August - Bae Cheol-soo, Korean musician and radio host
• 28 October - Park Yeong-gyu, Korean actor
• 13 December - Dokgo Young-jae, Korean actor

Death

• 17 April - Yi Si-yeong, Korean independence activist