In 1937, Central Asia under the Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union welcomed hundreds of thousands of ethnic Korean immigrants. These people were forced to leave their homeland and began a long and arduous migration.
This mass migration began in the Far East. Originally, the Far East was the main gathering place for ethnic Korean farmers. With the Japanese aggression and the threat to the security of the USSR, Stalin decided to transfer them.
These ethnic Koreans were transported to Central Asia in harsh conditions, experiencing extreme cold and starvation on the way, and many did not even reach their destination. Eventually, the survivors settled in Central Asia and started a new life.
In Central Asia, ethnic Koreans are forced to blend into an unfamiliar environment and culture. They have no citizenship and live in harsh conditions, but they are still trying to work on their new land. Despite this, over several generations, they gradually took root in Central Asia and became a significant force in the local economy.
Today, the 350,000 Koreans in Central Asia are far from their homeland, but their struggles and contributions have become part of the history of Central Asia. However, for these Koreans who "have a home but cannot go back", their hometown has always been a concern in their hearts.
Migration of ethnic Koreans
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Korean Peninsula was in turmoil and social unrest. The royal family of the Joseon Kingdom was corrupt and incompetent, the bureaucracy was expropriating, and land annexation was rampant. In the face of poverty and oppression, North Korean peasants began to seek a new way out.
On the political map of East Asia, the Korean Peninsula has been a vassal of China's feudal dynasties since ancient times. In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the situation in East Asia became more complicated. Northeast China has gradually become one of the important migration sites for North Korean farmers.
In order to alleviate the population pressure in the country, the Qing government encouraged bankrupt peasants in Shandong and Hebei to "break into the eastern part of the country", while a large number of Korean peasants also crossed the Changbai Mountains and entered northeast China to reclaim new land.
At the same time, Tsarist Russia actively expanded its territory in the Far East. In 1860, the Treaty of Beijing was signed, and Tsarist Russia occupied a large area of land in the Outer Northeast.
The Russian government was in dire need of labor to develop these new territories and actively encouraged Korean immigrants to settle in the Far East.
Seeing more land and opportunities in the Far East under Tsarist rule, Korean peasants crossed the Tumen River and settled in places like Vladivostok.
In 1895, the Sino-Japanese War broke out, and the struggle between China and Japan on the Korean Peninsula exacerbated the turmoil in Korea.
After the war, Korea became a Japanese colony. In 1905, the Russo-Japanese War ended, and Japan began to expand its influence in the Far East.
With the arrival of Japanese troops, Korean immigrants from the Far East began to feel a new threat. The oppression and exploitation of Koreans by the Japanese colonizers led to the forced displacement of more Korean peasants.
In 1910, the Korea-Japan Merger Treaty was signed, and the Korean Peninsula officially became a Japanese colony. North Korean peasants were forced to endure the brutal oppression of colonial rule, and their lives were even more difficult.
Large numbers of North Korean farmers have fled their homes in search of new livelihoods, and many more have left for northeastern China and the Russian Far East.
In the Far East, Korean immigrants gradually formed large communities. They are industrious and courageous, actively cultivating land and improving living conditions.
The Tsarist government welcomed these industrious Korean peasants, protected them, and granted them Russian citizenship. These North Koreans are also happy to live and work in peace and contentment in their new land, while sending some of their income back to their relatives in North Korea.
However, with the expansion of Japanese forces in the Far East, the situation became more complicated.
In 1931, Japan launched the September 18 Incident and invaded Northeast China.
Japan reached out to the Far East to infiltrate and rebel against Korean immigrants. Some Korean immigrants became spies for the Japanese army, causing the Soviet government to be wary and uneasy.
In 1937, the Lugou Bridge Incident broke out and the Japanese army invaded China in an all-round way, and the security situation in the Soviet Union became more severe.
Stalin decided to take extreme measures against potential threats. He ordered all Korean immigrants from the Far East to be relocated to Central Asia. This decision led to a drastic change in the fate of more than 200,000 North Korean immigrants.
Hope for Central Asia
Under the forced actions of the Soviet troops, the North Korean emigrants were forced to leave their homeland in the Far East.
Small, filthy train carriages are packed with North Korean families, and the long journey of 6,500 kilometers is fraught with hardship and danger. Many died of cold, hunger, and disease on the way. Those who survived, ended up in a strange and impoverished Central Asia.
In Central Asia, these North Korean immigrants were called "Goryeo traitors" and had no citizenship and no personal freedom. They were placed to work in collective farms or factories, where living conditions were extremely harsh.
However, these resilient North Koreans did not give up. They continue to work hard, reclaiming wasteland and growing crops in difficult conditions, making a huge contribution to the economic development of Central Asia.
In Central Asia, life for North Korean immigrants is extremely difficult. When they first arrived in Central Asia, they were housed in rudimentary dwellings and even had to live in animal shelters. Harsh living conditions and a vicious climate make their lives extremely difficult.
On collective farms in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, North Korean migrants are assigned to different labor positions. They toiled in the fields every day, day after day, and worked hard.
Central Asia has a barren land, an arid climate, and extremely harsh conditions for agricultural production. However, with tenacious perseverance, North Korean immigrants contributed to the production of collective farms by clearing wasteland and growing grain and cotton.
The Soviet authorities exercised extremely strict control over North Korean migrants, forbidding them to leave the designated areas and strictly monitoring their activities.
In this high-pressure environment, North Korean immigrants can only endure and work silently. Their diligence and efforts have gradually been recognized by the local government and have become an important workforce in the Central Asian region.
War broke out
In 1941, World War II broke out, and the Soviet Union faced a fierce attack by the German army. Korean immigrants from Central Asia were also drawn into this global war.
Many young ethnic Korean men were drafted into the Soviet Red Army and sent to the front. They fought valiantly on the battlefield, and many gave their lives. These combat heroes made a great contribution to the victory of the Soviet Union in the war.
On the battlefield, ethnic Korean soldiers showed amazing courage and perseverance.
They fought valiantly in the battles of Stalingrad, Moscow and Kursk, and many were wounded or killed in the battles. The sound of artillery fire on the front line was one after another, the smoke of gunpowder was filled, and the intensity of the battle was unimaginable.
Even in the face of extreme danger and fear, these soldiers held their ground and made a great contribution to the victory of the Soviet Union.
At the same time, in the rear, Korean immigrants from Central Asia were also working for the war. In collective farms, women and the elderly worked day and night to provide food and supplies to the front. In the fields, Korean women sweat like rain and work hard.
After the war, the Soviet Union entered a period of post-war reconstruction. North Korean migrants in Central Asia are also facing new challenges and opportunities.
The Soviet government began to implement a new economic policy, vigorously developing agriculture and industry in Central Asia. North Korean immigrants were once again mobilized to participate in this massive construction.
In the wilderness of Kazakhstan, ethnic Korean farmers continue to reclaim the wasteland and grow grain and cotton. Their hard work has led to a steady increase in agricultural production in Central Asia.
At the same time, industrial construction is also in full swing.
Ethnic Korean workers worked in factories, making machinery and tools that contributed to the industrialization of Central Asia. The machines in the factory roared, and the busy figures of the workers in the workshop were interwoven into a vibrant picture.
However, post-war Central Asia was not a place of tranquility. The political environment in the Soviet Union remained tense, and government control over ethnic minorities remained tight. North Korean immigrants are limited in their range of activities, and their lives are constantly shrouded in political repression.
Over time, North Korean immigrants gradually took root in Central Asia. Their diligence and wisdom have enabled them to achieve remarkable achievements in agriculture, industry, and other fields.
North Korean immigrants have played an important role in the economic construction of Central Asia. Their hard work has led to a significant increase in the level of agricultural production in Central Asia, and the grain output and cotton planting area have been increasing.
Despite improved living conditions, North Korean migrants have not been able to escape the fate of being watched and controlled. Their movement remains restricted and they are unable to move freely.
The suspicion and distrust of the Soviet government still existed, and their lives were always in the shadows.
In 1953, Stalin died, and Soviet politics underwent drastic changes. The new leadership began to pursue a relatively relaxed ethnic policy, and North Korean immigrants from Central Asia also had a brief respite.
They were allowed to move on a larger scale and their social status was improved. Through hard study, many young Koreans have entered all walks of life and become an important force in Central Asian society.
In the 1980s, the Soviet Union entered a new period of reform and opening up. North Korean immigrants from Central Asia have also received new hope. Their living conditions have improved further and their social status has gradually improved.
Through hard work and hard work, the children and grandchildren of Korean immigrants have made remarkable achievements and become an important force in Central Asian society.
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and the countries of Central Asia became independent. The fate of the Korean ethnic group has once again ushered in a major turning point. They were no longer under the strict control of the Soviet government and were given more freedom and rights.
Many ethnic Koreans choose to return to their hometowns and start a new life. In the fields of their hometown, they ushered in wanderers who had been reunited after a long absence, and their hearts were full of hope for the future.
And the Korean ethnic group that remained in Central Asia continued to work this land. They put down roots in the new country and become an important part of the local society.
In the cities and villages of Central Asia, the industrious figure of the Korean ethnic group can be seen everywhere. They work quietly in their respective positions and contribute to the development and prosperity of the local area.
At the dawn of the new century, the Korean nationality in Central Asia has taken on a new look. With their wisdom and hard work, they have written a new chapter in the prosperity and development of Central Asia.
However, despite all these achievements, the Koreans have never forgotten their history.
They have experienced countless hardships and tribulations in the land of Central Asia, but they still stick to their beliefs and create a new life with their own hands.
Today, 350,000 "Koreans" live in this part of Central Asia.
Resources:
纪录片《中亚高丽人：不可靠的人》.Y. David Chung / Matt Dibble.2007