Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Comparing Koryo-Saram and Nikkeijin


Since becoming curious about various topics in Kazakhstan, I saw this thing about the Koryo-Saram, which both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has a sizable minority. Well, the Koryo-Saram in Uzbekistan has more problems than the Kazakh-Koryo-Sarams. And why I at times compare them to the Brazilian/Peruvian/Filipino Nikkeijin?

Here we go.

For starters, Koryo-Sarams are the Koreans that were deported to Central Asia from mainland Korea by Josif Staljin during his heyday as the USSR madman. The Koryo-Saram, like the Japanese-Brazilians and Japanese-Americans maintained their own culture while slowly but surely learning ho to use the land they have for farming and other stuffs.

Fast-forward. Most Kazakh-Koreans are successful just like the Japanese-Americans. But the Uzbek-Koreans have fair worse since the collapse of the Uzbek economy. Since the late 2000's, the Uzbek-Koreans tried their best: learning Korean and trying to go and live on their ancestors' homeland: South Korea. Well, the problem is on the 4th generation Koryo-Saram, since Korean Law won't allow any 4th generation Korean from their diaspora to stay when they reach 19, causing social problems among the Koryo-Saram living in Korea, despite learning Korean fluently.

Same here although some differences with the Nikkeijin, which I am a member of, but won't specify what country, due to personal issues if I disclose it now. A Japanese Law may have been put to limit the entry of Nikkeijin, for reasons I may not disclosed. As a Sansei, I feel the pain of those that can't go here of whatever reasons, mainly to work their hearts out and not to have a chip on their shoulders. Same as for the Koryo-Saram that may face the same issues that even if most of them are full-blooded Koreans and speak fluent Korean than how I am not yet fluent in my Japanese, they are viewed as foreigners since they were born in Central Asia.

I don't know why, these diasporas are facing these issues on their ancestral homelands, to work and not to remain an individual or a group of people that will never have a chip on their shoulder!

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