Koryoin in Kazakhstan bond closer to Korea at anniversary event

Koryoin in Kazakhstan feel a strong bond to Korea, with the Association of Koreans in Kazakhstan (AKK) celebrating its 35th anniversary in Astana on Friday.

Attendees at the 35th-anniversary event for the Association of Koreans in Kazakhstan, including Korean Ambassador to Kazakhstan Cho Tae-ick, center, pose for a photo at Aray Banquet Hall in Astana on Friday. [LIM JEONG-WON]

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Koryoin in Kazakhstan say that they still feel a strong bond to Korea, with the Association of Koreans in Kazakhstan (AKK) celebrating its 35th anniversary in Astana on Friday.

Koryoin are ethnic Koreans or Korean descendants living in the former Soviet Union, especially in Central Asia. Some 120,000 Koryoin currently live in Kazakhstan, with many of them playing important roles across various fields in the central Asian country, according to the AKK.

The AKK hosted an anniversary event at the Aray Banquet Hall in Astana on Friday, with officials from the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, Korean Ambassador to Kazakhstan Cho Tae-ick and Koryoin business and cultural leaders in attendance.

“We congratulate the AKK and Koryoin in Kazakhstan who have continuously contributed to the development of Kazakhstan,” said Ambassador Cho in congratulatory remarks during the event.

The anniversary event hosted by the AKK featured performances of traditional Korean samulnori drumming, the fan dance and traditional music. A rendition of the folk song “Arirang” was also performed.

Centers of Korean culture have been preserved in Kazakhstan. A newspaper in Korean, the Kore Ilbo, celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, and the Republican State Academic Korean Theater of Musical Comedy is the only state-run Korean language theater outside of the Korean Peninsula.

Koryoin in Kazakhstan feel a strong cultural bond to Korea, a Koryoin at the AKK anniversary event said.

“My mother is Kazakh, my father is Korean, and I feel very much in touch with Korea,” said Medeya Kiyalova, an office worker in Astana who attended the AKK anniversary event. “I came to the Korean center when I was 15 years old and attended Korean dances after moving to Astana. And for the first time, I got acquainted with real Korean culture here. I think Korean and Kazakh cultures are very close, as in both cultures, respect for elders is highly valued.”

For Koryoin in Kazakhstan, maintaining their identities and preserving Korean culture, as well as integrating into mainstream Kazakh society, is an important focus, said Cho.

“Our embassy plays a role in networking between Koryoin to foster this,” said Cho. “Through conversations between Koryoin, who share their success stories and advice with each other, we aim to help Koryoin achieve strong social standing. The embassy also supports events like this 35th anniversary of the AKK and hosts many networking opportunities and outreach activities.”

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Kazakhstan in June this year, during which he met with Koryoin, boosted the morale of the ethnic Koreans in the country, according to Cho.

“President Yoon promised to actively support Koryoin in Kazakhstan and said their success would also help Korea, with Koryoin playing an important bridging role between the two countries,” said Cho. “Not only will our relationship with Kazakhstan improve through Koryoin, but Korea will also have a lot of influence here, which is very commendable.”

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]