Identity Politics of Former Soviet Koreans: One of the Most Prominent Heritages of the 1988 Seoul Olympics

Authors: Soon-ok Myong, B.G. Nurzhanov

Abstract:

This paper applies an anthropological approach to illuminate the dynamic cultural geography of Kazakhstani Korean ethnicity focusing on its turning point, the historic “Seoul Olympic Games in 1988." The Korean ethnic group was easily considered as a harmonious and homogeneous community by outsiders, but there existed deep-seated conflicts and hostilities within the ethnic group. The majority-s oppositional dichotomy of superiority and inferiority toward the minority was continuously reorganized and reinforced by difference in experience, memory and sentiment. However, such a chronic exclusive boundary was collapsed following the patriotism ignited by the Olympics held in their mother country. This paper explores the fluidity of subject by formation of the boundary in which constructed cultural differences are continuously essentialized and reproduced, and by dissolution of cultural barrier in certain contexts.

Keywords: Former Soviet Korean's Russianization, inferior/superior dichotomy, Seoul Olympic Games, subject's fluidity.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1334185

References:

[1] Procter, Jigeum Stuart Hall .Translated by Son Yu-kyong. Seoul: Alphy, 2006, pp 23-26; 220-225.
[2] Kwang-ok Kim et al, Jongjok-gwa minjok: geu dan-il-gwa bopyeon-ui sinhwa-reul neom-eoseo (Beyond the Myths of Ethnicity). Seoul: Akanet, 2005, pp. 25-26.
[3] C. Geertz, Munhwa-ui heseok (The Interpretation of Cultures). Translated by Mun Ok-pyo. Seoul: KKachi, 1998, p.304.
[4] Amartya Sen, Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny. New York: Norton. 2006, prologue
[5] S.M. Han, and B.S. Han, Goryeosaram, Uri-neun nugu in ga ? (Koryosaram, Who Are We ?). Translated by Kim Tae-hang. Seoul: Godamsa, 1999, pp.82-84.
[6] Song-mu Ko, Ssoryeon-ui hanin-deul (Soviet Koreans). Korean National Commission for UNESCO. Seoul: Iron-gwa silcheon, 1990, p.70
[7] D.V. Men, W.C. Chang, T. H. Bak et al, Istoria korejcev Kazahstana (The history of Koreans in Kazakhstan). Sbornik arhibnyh dokumentob tom1, 1937-1998. (Collection of Archival Documents vol.1, 1937-1998). Almaty Education Center of the Republic of Korea. 1998, pp. 55-56.
[8] Y. Yorozu, M. Hirano, K. Oka, and Y. Tagawa, "Electron spectroscopy ] D.V. Men, W.C. Chang, T. H. Bak et al, Istoria korejcev Kazakhstana (The history of Koreans in Kazakhstan). Sbornik arhibnyh dokumentob tom2, 1937-1999. (Collection of Archival Documents vol.2, 1937-1999). Almaty Education Center of the Republic of Korea. 1999, pp. 186-187; 335.
[9] Hui-young Kwon, Segye-ui hanminjok: dongnipgukga-yeonhap (Koreans in the world: the Commonwealth of Independent States). Segye hanminjok chongseo 5. Seoul: Tong-ilwon, 1996, p. 77.
[10] Naselenie SSSR 1983 (The 1983 population of the USSR). Izdatelstvo politicheskoi literatury, Moscow, 1983, pp.128-129.
[11] G. N. Kim and D.V. Men, Istoria i kultura koreitsev kazakhstana (History and culture of the Koreans in Kazakhstan). Natsionalnaya akademiya nauk Respubliki Kazakhstan (National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan), Tsentr Vostokovegenie (Center of Oriental Studies), Almaty: Gylym. 1995, pp. 265-272..
[12] Geun-sik Jun and Mi-gyong Yom, "Diaspora, gwihwan, chulhyeon-jeok jungcheseung: Sahalin han-in-ui yeoksa-juk gyeongheom" (Diaspora, Return, and Emergent Identity: Historical Experiences of Koreans in Sakhalin), Studies of Koreans Abroad, Institute of Overseas Koreans, 2000, p.4.
[13] Shin-pyo Kang and John J MacAloon, "The Seoul Olympics and torch relay: an ethnographic approach," Korean Culture and Seoul Olympic Studies and Kang, Shin- pyo: His Olympic Academic Movement, The National Folk Museum of Korea, 2010, pp. 284-299; 303-305.
[14] Shin-pyo Kang, "Comparing the Seoul Olympics and the Barcelona Olympics: torch relay and TV broadcast," Korean Culture and Seoul Olympic Studies and Kang, Shin-pyo: His Olympic Academic Movement, The National Folk Museum of Korea, 2010, pp. 303-305.
[15] The former Soviet Korean newspaper Lenin Kichi,.
[16] Korean newspapers and magazines (Sisa Journal, Kyunghyang Sinmun, Money Today).