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The Tragic Story of Korean Migrants to the USSR
A lesser-known history of the Korean diaspora in Russia and Central Asia
When people think of the Korean diaspora, they usually think of numerous Korean communities scattered across North America, China, and Japan. While those communities are large in size and have significant name recognition, lesser-known Korean communities exist in Central Asia and Russia. The immigration process began in the late Joseon Dynasty period in the 1800s and happened on a large scale by force in the 1950s. They call themselves “Koryo Saram” and they are one of the most forgotten communities of Koreans today.
History
Most Koryo Saram today have communities in the far east maritime regions of Russia, Central Asia, and the Baltic nations. The history of their immigration began in the late 19th century with people living in the northern provinces of Korea migrating to Manchuria and Primorsky Krai. Due to the Beijing treaty of 1860, the far eastern part of Manchuria became the Russian province of Primorsky Krai, beginning the history of Korean immigration to Russia. By the early 1920s, an estimated 110,000 Koreans lived in this region of Russia.
