The Samguk sagi ("History of the Three Kingdoms"), a historical text, records the river as "Hansanha" (漢山河) or "Bukdok" (北瀆).

The name "Han River" began to be used around the time when Baekje started interacting with China's Eastern Jin Dynasty; from then on, it was called "Hansu" (漢水) or "Hangang" (漢江).

In the "Samguk sagi" (History of the Three Kingdoms), Baekje Annals Volume 3, in the account from early September of the 21st year of King Gaero, there is a record similar to that on the Gwanggaeto Stele in which the Han River is referred to as "Ungniha" (郁里河).

[14] At one time, the Standard Korean Language Dictionary listed "Arisu" as a dialectal term for "deception", but due to insufficient data and lack of clear evidence, it was deleted.

This progression laid the foundation for the emergence of ancient states in the Han River basin following the advanced cultures of the Bronze Age.

Rice farming in the Han River basin is closely related to the southward movement of residents from the Pangyi (팽이) Pottery culture in the northwestern regions.

As these southern-moving Pangyi Pottery people interacted and blended with the local Minmuni-toki-in (민무늬토기인) communities, rice farming became widespread in the Han River basin and further extended to the southern regions.

Consequently, this region became a primary target in the power struggles among the three kingdoms, and controlling the Han River basin provided a strong foundation for territorial expansion and national development.

However, after the establishment of Hanyang, significant storms, thunder, lightning, and disasters struck the nation,causing frequent misfortunes like people being swept away by the river, alongside bad omens such as tigers killing men.

[23] After ascending to the throne, Taejo Yi Seong-gye ordered the relocation of the capital to Hanyang on August 3, 1392, sixteen days after his coronation.

The Korean peninsula, being a very mountainous region,has traditionally relied heavily on canal- and river-based water transport for everything from inter-province trade to taxes, which at the time were mostly paid in commodities.

With the implementation of tax reforms and the introduction of the Daedong Law [ko][26] in the late Joseon period, the Han River's importance increased further, facilitating the transportation of rice collected from regions including Honam and Chungcheong Province by water.

Even today people set up ritual tables and offer prayers along the banks of the Han River during events such as Jeongwol Daeboreum (the first full moon of the lunar year).

In early 1951, there was a fair amount of fighting between Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops and US-led United Nations forces in the Han River area surrounding Seoul.

Though it no longer plays a central role in commerce or transportation, it is a prime fixture in the life of the South Korean capital.

[29] In July 2000, the US military admitted to dumping 20 gallons (75.7 liters) of diluted formaldehyde in the sewer system connected to the river.

In 2012 the 18-kilometer Ara Canal, suitable for large container and passenger vessels, was completed,[32] linking the Han River near Gimpo in Seoul to Incheon.

[33][34] On November 5, 2018, the councils of South Korea's Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces, which border the DMZ, signed a "peace working agreement" at Dorasan Station in Paju, giving local approval to the Joint Utilization Zone.

As a result, during heavy rains—such as monsoons or torrential downpours—the Jamsu Bridge becomes submerged, and even the expansive riverbanks and Hangang Park are entirely flooded.

The section of the Han River that flows through Seoul maintains a water level above a certain point due to the Singok Submerged Weir installed in Gimpo.

Following the Han River Comprehensive Development Project, extensive aggregate extraction deeply excavated the riverbed, providing sufficient depth for tour boats even without the submerged weir.

[36] The lower stretches of the Han River are lined with pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths, public parks and restaurants, particularly in Seoul.

[37] The riparian zones of the Han River are predominantly dominated by willow species in most areas, and locust trees are frequently found in some sections.

Additionally, through planting efforts, species such as poplar, Eastern cottonwood, lacebark elm, pin oak, birch, and metasequoia are widely distributed.

In the main stream of the Han River, Tridentiger brevispinis, Barbel steed, and Acheilognathus were the dominant species, while in the tributaries, Pale chubs, Stripe False Gudgeons, and Crucian carp were predominant.

Broad tidal flats can be found at the mouth of the Han River, where it meets the sea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone that divides South and North Korea.