Political Migration of Korean Activists Through Czechoslovakia in the Post World War 2 Period

Abstract

The existence of Korean migrations between South and North Korea's between the Second World War and the Korean War is well known. Because of political and economic reasons, North Korean land-owners and Christians escaped toward the south and South Korean communists ran across the 38th parallel toward the north. During the Korean War, millions of war refugees moved back and forth. As a result, there are over two million separated families on the Korean peninsula.But there were several Korean's who had resided in the US for decades who found their way to Pyongyang via Czechoslovakia in the period between the end of the Second World War and the 1950s. Some of them were US citizens and served in the US Army during the Pacific War. Nearly all of them were of a Christian background and were well educated in the US. Why did they choose to leave for North Korea? Why did they pass through Czechoslovakia? What had their lives been like in the US and what were their fates after they landed in North Korea? What legacy did they leave in Czechoslovakia?This is a story of eleven Korean activists who made their way through Czechoslovakia on their journey between the US and North Korea. They passed through Czechoslovakia one by one, and left their footprints in Czechoslovakia. Eight of them continued on to Pyongyang, two returned to the US, and one remained in Czechoslovakia for good. Eight disappeared from the political scene after they arrived in Pyongyang, two survived and led comfortable lives in the US, and the one in Czechoslovakia, in desperation, committed suicide.We will explore the situation in which the stories unraveled, briefly recount the stories and destinies of the eleven migrants, and shed light on links among them. Particular attention will be paid to their activities in Czechoslovakia, corroborated by newly discovered materials from Korean, US and Czech archives as well as from witness interviews.