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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-09-11 08:03:05
By Park Hyeon-soo, Seong Do-hyeon
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, TOSHKENT, Uzbekistan, BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Koryo-in people, from pioneers of barren lands to key players in Eurasian cooperation
In 1937, there were people who were loaded onto cold, red freight trains in Russia's Far East and cast out onto unfamiliar wastelands in Central Asia.
From September to December 1937, the Stalin regime in the former Soviet Union forcibly relocated more than 170,000 ethnic Koreans to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other areas aboard Trans-Siberian trains, citing the need to prevent espionage amid growing military threats from Japan in the Far East.
With no preparation and little more than reeds and rocks around them, they tilled the frozen earth with their bare hands and planted rice, enduring bitter cold and hunger while displaying remarkable resilience.
The journey of the first-generation Koryo-in migrants to Central Asia, once marked by tears and anguish, has over the course of 90 years been transformed into a light illuminating the crossroads of Eurasian civilizations.
Ahead of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, to be held in Seoul on Sept. 16-17, and the 90th anniversary next year of the forced relocation of ethnic Koreans, Yonhap News Agency visited five Central Asian countries -- Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan -- to document the vibrant lives of Koryo-in communities there.
After putting down roots for 90 years, the Koryo-in community is emerging beyond the pain of its past as a powerful and practical "strategic asset" linking South Korea with the Eurasian continent.
An estimated 310,000 ethnic Koreans live in the five Central Asian countries, according to the 2025 Overseas Koreans Status Report. They account for less than 1 percent of the total population in each country, but their political and economic influence in mainstream society is substantial.
◇ Alatau City and K-Park: Koryo-in people lead digital and future-city development
Of Kazakhstan's roughly 20 million people, about 120,000 are ethnic Koreans, accounting for only 0.6 percent of the population. Yet their economic clout is striking, with as many as eight Koryo-in businesspeople ranking among the country's top 50 richest people in lists compiled by Forbes and other business publications.
Koryo-in architects and engineers have also played key roles in building the country's infrastructure, leading the design of major public structures in Almaty, including the Palace of the Republic and the Kazakhstan Hotel.
Chae Yuri, chairwoman of Caspian Group, is at the forefront of developing Alatau City, an innovative new city in which the Kazakh government is placing its hopes for the country's future. Moon Dmitry, a former vice minister of digital innovation, has led the introduction of the country's first supercomputer and the integration of 120 government databases, spearheading digital innovation in both countries.
Shin Andrei, chairman of Shin-Line Group, which has conquered Kazakhstan's ice cream market, is using his trademark diligence to partner with South Korea's BGF Retail, operator of CU convenience stores, and Lotte Global Logistics to reshape the continent's consumer landscape.
Other prominent figures leading Kazakhstan's Koryo-in community include Kim Roman, a former member of the Kazakh Mazhilis; Kang Georgy, a former professor of history at the Kazakh National Pedagogical University; Lee Lyubov, artistic director of the Koryo-in Theater at the Kazakh National Academy; Chae Alexandra, vice chairwoman of the Association of Koreans in Kazakhstan; Cho Elena, a member of the Almaty city council; and Kim Konstantin, head of the Koryo Ilbo newspaper.
The Association of Koreans is deeply involved in small-scale high-tech and commercial projects in Alatau City. It plans to be the first to establish and operate "K-Park," a hub bringing together global information technology developers and startups in the new city.
The Koryo-in Theater at the Kazakh National Academy, which will mark its 95th anniversary next year, boasts the longest history among Korean performing arts groups that have survived on the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere. It remains active today, staging 65 performances a year.
The theater served as a base for preserving the Korean people's language and cultural heritage through turbulent historical periods, from the forced relocation to Kyzylorda and eventual settlement in Almaty.
In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Yevgeny Kochetov, deputy minister of culture and information of Kazakhstan, said the theater is "the only theater in the world whose operating costs are covered 100 percent by a government," adding that the government provided 550 million tenge (about 1.66 billion won) in support in 2026.
He stressed that "the roughly 120,000 Koryo-in people in Kazakhstan serve as an excellent bridge connecting the two countries" and that "Korean K-content and the Korean Wave are excellent role models."
Abzal Nukenovich Nukenov, deputy mayor of Almaty, also told Yonhap on July 17 that "whether Kazakh, Koryo-in or Russian, we are one people," stressing that "preserving the Koryo-in Theater is also a major responsibility for us" and reaffirming the government's commitment to continued support.
◇ Next-generation Koryo-in leaders in Uzbekistan's economy and politics step up efforts to build history museum
About 180,000 ethnic Koreans live in Uzbekistan, the largest Koryo-in population among the Central Asian countries.
The achievements of Koryo-in people in Uzbekistan are remarkable across politics, the economy and culture.
They include Park Victor, a three-term incumbent lawmaker and chairman of the Association of Korean Culture; Shin Agrippina, former minister of preschool and general education and current president of Bucheon University; Lee Dmitry, head of the National Project Management Agency under the Ministry of Economy and Finance; Nam Victor, former president of the Tashkent campus of Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia; and Heo Seon-haeng, head of a King Sejong Institute.
Among the rising next-generation figures are lawmaker Lee Igor of the Uzbek lower house and Lee Yanis, chairman of the Koryo-in Business Club, who is leading the business community.
Lee acquired a Korean restaurant and renamed it "Koryo-in," transforming it beyond a commercial eatery into an "ethnic cultural history and education space" that systematically displays materials and rare photographs documenting the history of Koryo-in migration.
The Association of Korean Culture in Uzbekistan is stepping up preparations for a major historical preservation project to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the forced relocation of ethnic Koreans in 2027.
The Overseas Koreans Agency has included the project in its 2027 budget and plans to build a Koryo-in history museum on the grounds of the House of Korean Culture and Arts.
The museum is expected to preserve records of 160 years of hardship and glory experienced by the Koryo-in community while serving as a key cultural hub symbolizing friendship and cooperation between Uzbekistan and South Korea.
In Kyrgyzstan, the Koryo-in community's strong commitment to preserving ethnic identity and educating younger generations stands out.
The Association of Koreans in Kyrgyzstan was launched in October 1989. In 2005, San Boris, its fourth chairman, donated land and a building from his own funds to establish the "House of Koreans."
Under the leadership of Kim In-sen, who took office as the association's eighth chairman in 2025, Korean-language education tailored to all age groups, from 5-year-old children to senior citizens, is actively offered there.
Vice Chairwoman Ji Viktoriya said, "In addition to K-pop and dance, we have formed traditional musical instrument groups and put on high-quality performances at major events."
The strength of the less well-known Koryo-in communities in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan is also considerable.
Only about 150 ethnic Koreans live in Tajikistan, but their social standing and pride are substantial among the country's roughly 80 ethnic groups.
Kim Victor, chairman of the Association of Koreans in Tajikistan, who remained in the country and protected the Koryo-in community through the devastation of the Tajik civil war, which claimed up to 100,000 lives in the 1990s, said, "We have our own distinct identity and pride as Tajik Koreans who endured and survived a civil war in a rugged mountainous country, rather than simply being 'Koryo-saram,' a term broadly applied to Koreans across the former Soviet Union."
Regarding the Korea-Central Asia Summit, he stressed that "Tajikistan can serve as a key lever that gives a powerful boost to South Korea's initiatives in Central Asia" and that "the impact of expanding strategic official development assistance (ODA) projects and close cooperation between the two countries should never be underestimated."
In Turkmenistan, where access from outside is relatively difficult, the activities of ethnic Koreans are also continuing.
Businesswoman Baek Tatyana has opened new avenues in local distribution and trade despite the country's harsh and closed business environment, serving as a catalyst for economic exchanges between the two countries.
She operates a cybersecurity and IT company in Turkmenistan and also provides consulting services between local businesspeople and Korean companies.
Like her, Koryo-in businesspeople with local networks and practical expertise are playing the role of "private economic diplomats," going beyond interpretation and brokerage to attract joint investment and introduce advanced Korean technologies to the local market.
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*This feature was supported by the Korea Press Foundation with funds raised through government advertising fees.*
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