When it comes to Koreans, I believe everyone is familiar with them, there are a large number of Koreans settled in the mainland, and many cities in the northern region have special Korean ethnic streets.
The mainland city located in Yanbian, Jilin Province, attracts tourists from all over the country to visit and check in with its characteristic Korean culture, and there are countless Korean ethnic delicacies.
Many people believe that the reason why there are a large number of ethnic Koreans on the mainland is mainly because North Korea was a dependent territory of the mainland in history, and there were also many trade, cultural exchanges with the mainland, etc.
But what many people don't know is that there are still 350,000 ethnic Koreans in Central Asia who are still "wandering".
These ethnic Koreans are mainly found in countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where they call themselves "Koreans".
The Koreans are arguably the most loving people in the world.
So why did they "wander" to these countries? Why didn't they return to their homeland after the founding of Korea?
1. The DPRK has had several changes in sovereignty
The Korean Peninsula has a very long history, and it is precisely because of its special geographical location that it has become a geographical location for many countries to compete for, and its sovereignty has also undergone many changes.
As early as 100,000 years ago, traces of human activities were found on the Korean Peninsula, and around 1000 B.C., the Korean Peninsula entered a civilized society and opened a long ancient regime.
At the end of the 2nd century BC, there was a war between the then Wei Manchu Korea and the Western Han Dynasty, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent an army to begin a full-scale attack on Korea, which led to the demise of Wei Manchu Korea.
After that, the Korean moved the island and became the territory of China, and the Han Dynasty set up four counties of Lelang, Zhenfan, Lintun and Xuansu on this land, which were directly under the rule of the Central Plains.
During the 4th century AD, three states were born on the Korean Peninsula, namely Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla.
These three countries are both militarily and economically powerful, and they have formed a situation of competition with each other.
The three sides sometimes attacked each other, and sometimes cooperated with each other, and this time became known as the "Three Kingdoms Era" of the Korean Peninsula.
Over time, Silla on the Korean Peninsula grew stronger and ruled over most of the Korean Peninsula.
However, the great powers of the world were divided for a long time, and it was not long before Silla was divided into new Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje by various powers, which was called the "post-Three Kingdoms era" at this time.
After that, Goguryeo gradually expanded its territory and established the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled for 500 years.
The country was influenced by the Buddhist culture of China at that time, which regarded Buddhism as the state religion, and the Korean Peninsula at this time made important progress in both culture and art.
It was not until 1392 that the Goryeo general Yi Sung-gye overthrew the Goryeo Dynasty and established the Joseon Dynasty, which was able to change the dynasty.
Friendly reminder: Because the characters in this article are long, there may be an "ad unlock mode" in the article, but fortunately, in the new policy of the platform, ad unlocking is free, you only need to read it to continue reading, thank you for the officials, and the platform.
During the Joseon Dynasty, Hangul, the written language of the Korean Peninsula, was created, and this script is the prototype of today's Korean and Korean languages.
At the same time, Chinese Confucian cultural thought also penetrated into Korean culture, so that Confucianism gradually replaced Buddhism and became an important culture on the Korean Peninsula at that time.
However, what is unexpected is that with the development and growth of the Joseon Dynasty, this land was gradually favored by the invaders.
The subsequent wars and colonial rule displaced many people and changed their culture dramatically.
Second, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced at the outbreak of war
In 1910, Japan began to formally annex the Korean Peninsula in order to expand its territory, and began a period of colonial rule that lasted for 35 years.
At that time, the land of the Korean people was forcibly confiscated by the Japanese, and many farmers lost their livelihoods and had to move to the cities to work in industry.
Many North Koreans have been forced to work and requisitioned migrant laborers, and a large number of people have been displaced. Poverty and loss of land became a common phenomenon in Korea at that time.
Not only that, Japan also pursued a "policy of imperialization", which banned the narration of Korean history and destroyed the traditional culture and religion of Korea.
As a result, the Korean people have been forced to abandon their culture and traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation, to embrace Japanese culture, to learn more and more, and even to change their names to Japanese names.
What is even more infuriating is that many women at that time were forcibly recruited as "comfort women" and suffered unimaginable suffering.
As long as they were able, they would flee from their own countries and choose to seek a glimmer of life in the Soviet Union and China, which is the main reason why there are a large number of ethnic Koreans on the mainland.
With the end of World War II, the Korean Peninsula ushered in a period of liberation.
However, this euphoria did not last long, and the United States and the Soviet Union began to compete on the Korean Peninsula.
This also divided the Korean Peninsula into North and South Korea, and the "38th Parallel" came into being, and the Korean War officially broke out in 1950, causing large-scale destruction and casualties on the Korean Peninsula.
The war has once again displaced millions of people, and many North Koreans have fled their countries.
By the end of the war, the local infrastructure had been almost destroyed, the economy had come to a standstill, and the people could not even make ends meet.
However, those who have migrated abroad because of the war have not had a good time, and how can those who have lost their land gain the respect of other countries.
This has also resulted in them being forced to live in impoverished Central Asia.
3. Deportation to Central Asia by others
In 1937, nearly 200,000 ethnic Koreans settled here in the Soviet Union at that time, and a large number of ethnic Koreans were still entering the Soviet Union due to the impact of the war.
At first, the Soviet Union did not pay attention to this, but as the number of people increased and the number of spies who endangered the development of the Soviet Union also mixed in.
At that time, the Soviet Union was in a critical period of competition with the United States, and the entry of spies was likely to have a huge impact on the development of the Soviet Union, which was not conducive to its competition with the United States.
In order to prevent these spies from blending into the displaced population, and considering that the large number of ethnic Koreans in the Far East would be difficult to manage, it was decided to forcibly relocate the 200,000 ethnic Koreans living here.
The Soviet Union finally decided to send them all to Central Asia, partly to protect the country's security, and partly in the hope of contributing to the development of the region through the experience and skills of ethnic Koreans in agriculture.
However, "the ideal is very full, the reality is very skinny", and the migration path of these Koreans is not all smooth sailing.
The migration took place under extremely difficult conditions, requiring the Koreans to travel thousands of kilometers by train and then by car.
At that time, many people died on the road due to the harsh conditions and lack of food, and many others froze to death because of lack of clothing.
When they arrived in Central Asia, they found themselves in a deserted area with rudimentary tents.
Coupled with the arid climate and poor land, crop yields are extremely low, and many people die before they can see the results.
It stands to reason that in such an environment, these Koreans would choose to return to their homeland after the founding of Korea, but they still chose to stay in this barren land.
Fourth, the Republic of Korea and the DPRK have a home but cannot return
Although the end of World War II restored calm to North Korea, the outbreak of the Korean War once again plunged the Korean Peninsula into chaos.
This has made the situation on the Korean Peninsula even more tense, and if the ethnic Koreans who have settled in Central Asia return to their homeland, they will still have to face the need to rebuild their homeland.
At that time, although there were certain differences in language and culture, the Korean people were also discriminated against by some local residents.
However, with their down-to-earth and hard-working spirit, they have gradually integrated into the local social environment, and even made important contributions to the local agriculture, industry and other fields, and have also formed a unique cultural landscape.
Since these Koreans were transferred to Central Asia by the Soviet Union, it was necessary for the Soviet Union to take responsibility for them to the end.
The Soviet Union has been supporting these Koreans since they entered Central Asia, providing them with important security of life in Central Asia through education and employment, and gradually accepting a life away from their homeland.
In the process of building their homeland, many local North Koreans also fell in love with many people in Central Asia, tied the knot, and had children.
Coupled with their Asian heritage, they have gradually developed a deep connection to the land and have become their second home.
As time passed, the idea of returning to the Korean Peninsula was gradually dispelled.
With the development of history, there are as many as 350,000 ethnic Koreans living in Central Asia.
Even some ethnic Koreans still miss their homeland, but economic, political, and family reasons make it more difficult to get home.
It also gave their "wandering" journey "roots".
epilogue
As a result of the war, former North Koreans have been displaced and fled to China, Russia and other countries.
However, because it was used by other countries, it had an impact on the development of the Soviet Union and was sent to Central Asia.
The Koreans living in Central Asia today have long forgotten how they came to this land, and they have long forgotten the hardships they have suffered.
Through the "wandering" of North Koreans, we can also see that war has never only brought about the displacement of ordinary people to a country, but also has a huge impact on its economic development and cultural heritage.
Therefore, I still hope that the world will always be peaceful, and the precious culture of human history will not be disturbed by war.
So what do you think of the North Korean experience of "wandering"? Welcome to leave your valuable views in the comment area.
[References]
Baidu Encyclopedia History of the Korean Peninsula
The United Nations is concerned about the situation on the Korean Peninsula
BBC Chinese 2020.6.25 70th Anniversary of the Korean War: Eight Little-Known Historical Details and Practical Significance
Western Regions Protector 2019.10.19 The 70th Anniversary of the Korean War: Eight Little-Known Historical Details and Practical Significance