North Koreans in Japan: Identity, Education, and the Struggle Against Colonialism

Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs

Korean Peninsula Affairs Center

present

North Koreans in Japan: Identity, Education, and the Struggle Against Colonialism

A Talk by Derek R. Ford, Assistant Professor of Education Studies at DePauw University

There are around 800,000 Koreans living in Japan today who are foreign nationals or “special permanent residents.” Even though they’ve resided in Japan since before the Korean peninsula was divided and can now acquire Japanese citizenship, most today are citizens of either North or South Korea. Their situation, largely unknown in the West, provides a crucial lens through which to understand the myriad aspects of the Korean conflict as the result of an unfinished struggle for national liberation. In this presentation, Dr. Ford details the past and present of Koreans in Japan through the development of Chongryon (The National Association of Korean Residents in Japan), a North Korean-affiliated institution that maintains dozens of schools, neighborhood associations, sports teams, professional and cultural organizations, and more.

Derek R. Ford is an assistant professor of education studies at DePauw University who leads the only exchange program between US and Chongryon students.

Sponsored by Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, and Korean Peninsula Affairs Center

Contact Havva Karakas-Keles for more information: hkarakas@syr.edu