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Home , Korean diaspora, Sakhalin Koreans

Amerasia Journal 29:3 (2003-2004): 23-29

Koryo Saram, or of the Former : In the Past and Present

German N.

There are roughly 500,000 Koreans who live in the former Soviet Union. About two-thirds live in and , and the remaining third mostly in . A small number of Kore- ans also live in , , Turkmenistan, Belarus, and elsewhere.1 This widespread dispersal of the population resulted from the repression of the Stalinist era and subsequent migration within the Soviet Union. Both in academic literature and the vernacular, the term ”So- viet Koreans” was commonly used to refer to all Koreans living in the “unified and everlasting Union.” During this period, the population referred to themselves as either ”Koryo Saram” or “Choson Saram” interchangeably, but in the last ten years, both at home and abroad, the term “Koryo Saram” has become the pre- ferred term. The Soviet Koreans are not homogeneous in composition but can be divided into three distinct groups. The most numerous are the descendants of the Korean settlers in the — largely from Hamgyongbukdo, in the northern part of . This group is now in the second to fifth generation abroad. The term Koryo Saram refers to this group in particular.2 The second largest group is the “ Koreans,” who are descendants of the roughly 60,000 Koreans who were sent as forced laborers by the Japanese colonial administration from the southern part of the

German N. Kim is a leading historican of the ethnic Korean minority in the former Soviet Union. He is presently Professor and Head of the De- partment of Korean Studies at Nazakh National University. Dr. Kim is the author of several monographs and numerous articles on the past, present and future of overseas Koreans.

23 24 Amerasia Journal 2003-2004 socioeconomic system. socioeconomic Koreans were and into Sovietized integrated the new and political the of Moscow, cities. large universities and other Russian Leningrad, in educated were Koreans young of Hundreds established. were institutions cultural and educational theater, radio, Korean and prospered; intelligentsia Koreanthe flourished; culture tional Tradi organizations. social and government in involved actively and fishing an agricultural Kore of Dozens identity, traditions. own and their culture lished Korea. of eration lib the to lead help also would this believing , with war the in lives their sacrificed hundreds and cause Soviet the supported of freedom, and justice, for equal rights all workers. Koreans largely slogans its under groups ethnic all of workers united 1917 of guage were the exactly same as in Korea. The Revolution October lan and culture, ethnic relations, social life, daily Their villages. the firstdecades of Korean immigration,Koreans lived in separate but also in time Province), of the cities the Far East and Siberia. In East Far Russian the of area shore the Kray, cen tury, areas of Primorskiy rural in the only not settled had Koreans twentieth the of beginning the In anew. starting for tunity oppor the and farmland, of availability immigration, Korean to authorities Russian of tolerance proximity, geographical in cluded factors pull Other Russia. to Korea from emigrate to people many pushed Korea of occupation Japanese the from repression later and ownership, land of lack exploitation, disasters, natural Famine, mid-1920s. the through waves several in continued and rasa. tabula a longer no is the of lifestyle contemporary and history the foreign, synonym. a as used incorrectly often being despite “Soviet Koreans” is much more general than the term term the Thus, tongue. mother their as Korean speak they cause be distinguished easily is group this number, in small Although home. return not did and work Union contract or Soviet studies the university for to came who DPRK the of citizens former are generation. third to first from the number about 35,000 people, and they range Today, Island. Sakhalin of part southern the to peninsula Korean The Koreans of the Far East were the first people of the Soviet Soviet the of people first were the East Far the of Koreans The estab had East Far Soviet the of Koreans the 1930s, the By the of immigration The and domestic both scholars, by research intensive of Because 5

6

4 kolkhozes Koryo Saram Koryo 3 The third group of Soviet Koreans Koreans Soviet of group third The were founded. were wereKoreans founded. began in the late 1860s 1860s late the in began

(hereafter the Mari the (hereafter Koryo Koryo Saram Koryo Saram Koryo ------,

Koryo Saram, or Koreans of the Former Soviet Union 25

------; others kolkhozes

9 , a Korean ped Korean a , kolkhozes Senbong About 100,000 Koreans were 7 The Koreans settled in this new this in settled Koreans The 8 . kolkhozes The political and socioeconomic changes, and the deteriorat The turning point in the life of the Koreans, as all other So ceived Ph.D. degrees and work as professors and researchers in universities, institutes, and scientific centers. ing standard of living of the last decade in Russia and the newly 1970s, the number of graduates of universities wasparliathe toelected were Koreans population.general the aboutof that twice ments of the Soviet Union and the Central republics, were given ministerial posts in Kazakh-stan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyz stan, and were also found among the generals of the Soviet army. hundreds Today, of Koreans in and Russia have re the party and government for their national rehabilitation. Thegovernment could not ignore such an organized campaignbegan and to “strengthen cultural-educational work among the rean population,” in order to give the appearance of addressing and work, education, theirhard ofBecause people’sconcerns. the organizational skills, the Koreans joined the ranks of the leaders of industry, government, and educational institutions. By the viet Union, the gold star as Heroes of Socialist Labor. viet peoples, was in 1953, with the death of Stalin, and the begin ning of the liberalization of the political regime. Koreans With beganthis, tothe reestablish their ethnic guageidentity, andculture, civil lanrights. In 1957-1958, Koreans began to petition books were relocated, making Kazakhstan the center of About74,000deportees intellectual Soviet Koreanwere Union. the lifein senttoUzbekistan, evenly divided between new Korean Uzbek pre-existing and place, established the basis for a new life, and contributed to the developmentof agriculture in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. More than one hundred Koreans received the highest honor of the So logical continuation of earlier Czarist and Soviet policy relating to national minority populations. resettled in Kazakhstan, mostly on new Korean were distributed to pre-existing ones. It was in Kazakhstan that newspaperKorean thetheatre, Korean the agogical institute and college, and deposits of Korean-language Union to be deported. The same fate was sharedby dozenssubsequently of other populations. It is wrong to think decidedthat Stalinto single out Koreans for deportation. order number On 1428-326cc of thethe Soviet governmentbasis and Commu of nist Party, dated August 21, 1937, the deportation of the Korean population of the Far East, signed by Molotov and Stalin, was a 26 Amerasia Journal 2003-2004 than cooperation prevails, especially in Tashkent and Moscow, and Tashkent in especially prevails, cooperation than rather with competition Thus, platforms. similar Koreans but leaders, different of groups competing among division is there substantial cities or countries individual within even Furthermore, To this day, none of the aforementioned conditions have been met. dination of the society of the the coor of the concerning Central Republics Asian among governments agreements Formal (3) countries; different the of ies societ and associations Korean of the of actions Consolidation (2) diaspora; Korean the of population dispersed this among unity of community regional a such maintain and establish to necessary are conditions However, three well. as maintained be might tries the among unity greater that sibility pos the is there populations, Uzbek and Kyrgyz, Kazakh, inant live in Central Asia, where great exist among similarities the dom Union Soviet former the of Koreans the of percent 70 that Given na own and culture language tional an in life—is open everyday question. its establishes state each what But future—when the in different. happens than similar more still are they present At become. will states these of each in Koreans the different how is ryo Saram the of lifestyles and lives the among divergence substantial to among the states. newly has independent Such led nuclearization structures socioeconomic and political in divergence substantial population. the throughout dispersion geographic and tonomy au no with group ethnic an of members for survival ethnic and revival ethnic is duality second The life. socioeconomic and cal and states the in problem the of new integration interethnic politi independent newly the of Koreans among solidarity intraethnic international of problem con the is of duality first set the a dualities: as flicting expressed be can issues These them. to unique problems additional with along Union, Soviet former the in ple problems. and needs daily their with coping ties difficul many and income little the with and population the people of rich majority very of number small a with divide nomic socioeco ever-increasing an is today,there whereas same, the ly In the the times, Soviet standard of of living all was people rough future. their about empire Soviet former the of peoples all among trepidation much to led has Asia, Central of states independent Koryo Saram Koryo With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there has been been has there Union, Soviet the of disintegration the With The Koryo Saram Koryo in those states as well. The main question for the future as well. question The states main in those : (1) A strong desire for national consolidation and and consolidation (1) national A: for desire strong share the same difficulties as all other peo other all as difficulties same the share Koryo Koryo Saram in their respective countries. Koryo Saram Koryo 10

of these coun these of Ko ------Koryo Saram, or Koreans of the Former Soviet Union 27 ------have a cul have lived togeth Koryo Saram Koryo Saram to integrate, as they are largely a Koryo Saram The problem of national revival is complicated because it is a TheKorean community must integrate into a very new socio The problem of interethnic integration is to maintain a bal tural tradition that has substantially diverged from that of . Over the past decades, the er with peoples of various backgrounds and cultures, including Russians,Europeans, and Asians.Central These cultures dra are topic no one has discussed in academic, social, or political circles. mostpeopleethnicmeans revivalwearing traditional clothing, To eating Korean food, or learning the language, but there to isit than morethat. It is not simply a matter of copying South Korean culture in a Central Asian context. The ny, Greece, and Israel at high rates. The birthIsraelTheandhighrateGreece,amongrates.atKoreans ny, and other Russian-speaking minority populations is decreasing, while that of Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and Uzbek peoples are increasing, demographicmassivechangesleadingto areas, ruralespecially in in the not-too-distant future. All of these conditions will lead to difficulties for the Russian-speaking non-Islamic population. ing the Soviet eras. These populations are culturalnow and experiencingreligious revival, a accompanied by a reinstitution of their national language and religious customs in everyday life of their republics. Furthermore, the Russian population is repatriatinglargely to Russia, and the Russian-speaking minority popu lationslikeGermans, repatriatingGreeks,andJews are Germato Today Today there are fewer Koreans interested in such disadvantagedeconomically careers, due largely to striving for success among the Korean population. economic and political landscape. The newly independent states have dominant populations of Turkic-speaking Moslem popula tions, which also had their culture and lifestyle suppressed dur ic disciplines, in local government, in the arts and sciences, culturaland life. however, Today, there is a tendency for the young Koreans to disproportionately move into small entrepreneurship, leaving few interested in pursuing careers in academics, govern ment,orcultural pursuits inthenewly independent states. Inthe past there were many Korean professors in various disciplines. though in Almaty there is more consolidation and unity the Koreanwithin community. anced representation across all areas of socioeconomicmultiethnic life environment,in a as was the case in the thepast thereSoviet was a era.strong Korean presenceIn in various academ 28 Amerasia Journal 2003-2004 themselves to changing conditions. For their future, the the future, their For conditions. changing to themselves adapt again once and languages, local the learn live, they where the history and culture of the titular ethnic groups in the countries republic. an within autonomous to autonomy local in reassert attempt their failed already had Volgalaw. Moreover, the Germans Russian in autonomy such of establishment for procedure no is there cause be impractical be would settlement such that concluded Koreans authorities. local or government Russian the from financial backing or help no receive would migration mass a Such ince. Prov Maritime the mov to back of systematically units possibility family entire the ing explore to East Far Russian the to went Asia Central from Koreans young several end, Tothis East. Far Russian area the Korean in autonomous an up setting of potential both. losing of danger a is there present at and ties, biological on as well as cohesion tural of to ties biological or cultural strong have not do but passports their in Korean as classified be may parentage mixed of Koreans young Many well. as tegration in genetic to tendency increasing the by exacerbated is Asia tral Cen in Koreans among cohesion cultural of lack the of problem time. present the at percent 40 over rate intermarriage the with for Koreans to non-Koreans, marry tendency ever-increasing In population. general Central Asia to urban life leading is an more integrated, ethnically the of percent 43 to live compared Kazakhstan cities, in in Koreans of percent 85 roughly time, this At ethnos. unique a as survival of problem the is there states, Asian Central independent newly the or Russia either in autonomy cal century. last the in undergone have populations divergent or correct because of the of enormity different the experiences two reasonable not is this but revival, cultural of meaning the is that on culture their impose to try often very reans to act on or it. governments local Korean organizations Ko South get to manage to alone let means, revival cultural what define to trivial not is it reasons these For Russian. is language native their example, For own. their into cultures these of aspects many ing Saram the society, and Korean traditional from different matically Koryo Saram Koryo Today’s the around place took discussion substantial ago years Some the for Lastly, have substantially integrated and acculturated, incorporat acculturated, and integrated substantially have Koryo Saram Koryo as a distinct national group is dependent on cul on dependent is group national distinct a as Koryo Saram Koryo will ultimately have to learn to respect respect to learn to have ultimately will Koryo Saram Koryo , who have no nation-state or lo or nation-state no have who , as a group. The survival survival The group. a as Koryo Saram Koryo 11 12 13 Koryo Koryo Koryo Koryo The The The The as if if as ------Koryo Saram, or Koreans of the Former Soviet Union 29

------61 Ko , . (Mos Chun 12:2&3 Koreiskie (Almaty, (Almaty, (Yuzhno- koreitsy: zhizn’ i Almaty: Kazakh (Alma-Ata, 1965; (Alma-Ata, Studia Orientalia , (Almaty, 1995); Kim P.G Kim 1995); (Almaty, (Moscow-Irkutsk, 1995). Seoul, 1995). A HistoryNationalist of A Movements Korean and Korean American Studies (Almaty, 2001); Kwon Hwi Young, Rossii Uchekhistan hanin’yi jongchasong yongu (Tashkent, 1993);(Tashkent, Chon Kyongsu, Almaty, Vypusk 26, 1997), 40-51.Vypusk Almaty, Vostoke (Tashkent, 1959); Kim(Tashkent, M., Vostoke Aktual’nye problemy i perspektivy koreiskoi dia Koreans in Soviet Central Asia Korean and Korean American Studies Bulletin Ocherk po istorii sovetskikh koreitsev sovetskikh istorii po Ocherk (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 1993). (Seoul: Haewe Minjok yonguso, 1996). Sakhalinskiye koreitsy: problemy i perspektivy Uchastiye kitaiskikh i koreiskikh trudyaschikhsya v grazh , Koryo saram. Bibliografia i istoriografia ( K probleme natsional’no-smeschannykh brakov. Izvestiya ko . RossiyskiyeKoreitsy: novyi povorot istorii. 90-ye gody Istoriya koreitsev Kazakhstana koreitsev Istoriya Koreitsy v Sovetskoi 12:2&3 (2001), 89-114. Koreitsy v Stepnom kraye (Moscow, 1979);Hwan,Pak (Moscow, must integratemust socioeconomicinto politicalandthese inlife reyevedeniya Kazakhstana ( 2000). cow, spory Tsentral’noi Azii—Izvestiya koreyevedeniya KazakhstanaAzii—Izvestiyakoreyevedeniya Tsentral’noi spory NaDiaspora1999),in27-40;NatsukoKorean “The6, Oka, Vypusk MinorEthnican SurvivalastionalizingStrategies forKazakhstan: ity” in German N. Kim and Ross King, Koreans eds., in the “The Former USSR,”Koryo Saram: Bulletin (Helsinki, 1987). stan and Uzbekistan can be found in G.V., the following books: Ban Byong Yul, Han Valery, (Seoul: Hanguk Jengsin munhwa yenguwon, 2001). Former USSR,” (2001), 19-45. reitsy Respubliki Uzbekistan gbu Asea koryoin sahwe ui yokchong kwa chillo-chegukchui y yoksa wa sinsosu minjok danskoi voine na Dalnem internatsionalisty v bor’be za vlast’ Sovetov na Dalnem Vostoke, 1918- 1922 among Koreans Residing in Russia ( Pak B.D. Koreitsy v rossiskoi 1993). imperii, Moscow, Sakhalinsk, 1989); Kuzin A.T. Dalnevostochnye, tragediya sud’by University Press, 2000). other CIS countries, this will happen in the near future. BugaiN., Yem N.B., Yem Materialsofsociological investigations among Koreans ofKazakh- Kan G.V., G.V., Kan Kho, Songmoo, Babichev I Pak B.D., Kim Syn Khwa, Syn Kim Bok Zi Kou, In 1999, the first national census of Kazakhstan was held, and in the in and held, was Kazakhstan of census national first the 1999, In German N. Kim and Ross King, “The Koryo Saram: Koreans in the in Koreans Saram: Koryo “The King, Ross and Kim N. German Kim G.N., Kim G.N., Khan V.S.,

8. 9. 5. 2. 3. 1. 6. 7. 4. 11. 13. 12. 10.

Saram newly independent states. Notes