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| Visitors take a look at photos showing portraits of early 'Koryoin,' or ethnic Koreans deported from the Russian Far East to Kazakhstan in the 1930s, at the "Land of Hope" exhibition at KF Gallery in Seoul. Courtesy of Korea Foundation |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
In 1937, ethnic Koreans living in the Russian Far East were suddenly deported to Central Asia against their will. After decades of hardships in the new land, those Koreans, now known as "Koryoin" in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries, successfully adjusted to their conditions and now act as a cultural bridge between Korea and Kazakhstan.
The Korea Foundation presents "Land of Hope," an exhibition shedding light on the lives of displaced Koreans in Kazakhstan at its KF Gallery in central Seoul.
The exhibit begins with a worn-out suitcase, which was actually used by Koryoin when they were forcefully relocated to Central Asia and continues with a series of photos showing how they cultivated the land. The Korean title of the exhibition describes crops growing, taken from the lyrics of "Sow the Seeds," a work song composed in 1933 by Yeon Seong-yong, who was among the first generation of Koreans sent to Kazakhstan.
Now five generations on, the Koryoin have established deep roots in Kazakhstan while maintaining their Korean identity through arts and cultural activities, which can be witnessed at the Koryo Theater. There is even a Korean newspaper, Korye Ilbo.
The year 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Kazakhstan as well as the 85th anniversary of the deportation of Koreans to Kazakhstan during the early years of the Soviet Union.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Korea Bakyt Dyussenbayev said 2022 is the year of cultural exchanges between the two countries and the embassy organized events such as the Kazakhstan Film Festival in Busan and the visit of the Republican State Academic Korean Musical Theater to Seoul.
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| Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Korea Bakyt Dyussenbayev delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of "Land of Hope" at KF Gallery on June 30. Courtesy of Korea Foundation |
Dyussenbayev said the exhibit is dedicated to the history of the deportation of Koreans from the Far East of the Soviet Union to Kazakhstan.
"According to statistics, in the 30s and 40s of the last century about 5 million people from more than 100 nations were forcibly deported to Kazakhstan," he said.
Along with more than 600,000 ethnic Germans and many from the North Caucasus region and Poland, some 170,000 Koreans were displaced.
"It was a big historical tragedy. And despite the difficult social and economic situation in Kazakhstan at that time, Kazakh people warmly received all these nations and shared their shelter and food. And until now more than 130 different nationalities are living in peace and harmony in our country," the ambassador said.
Dyussenbayev emphasized that those ethnic Koreans in Kazakhstan now constitute a "golden bridge" between the two countries.
Kim Elena, director of the Republican State Academic Korean Theater, who visited Korea on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties, said some of the materials in the exhibit are from the troupe's museum.
"The Korean theater is an integral part of the diverse culture of Kazakhstan, preserving and developing Korean national art at a decent level in the fertile Kazakh land," Kim said.
The exhibit, originally scheduled to run until Aug. 6, has been extended to Aug. 25.
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