China's Third Korea
Just read a very interesting article in the Asia Times by Andrei Lankov, a professor at Kookmin University, Seoul. The article is entitled, "The gentle decline of the 'Third Korea.'" The article is on China's ethnically Korean population, centered in the city of Yanji, the capital of Yanbian autonomous prefecture in the northeastern province of Jilin.
The article discusses the history of the Korean people in this region, their present lives, and the slow and gentle decline of the Koreans in this area identifying with Korea, rather than China. Lankov states there has been almost no discrimination against the ethnically Korean in this region and, in large part because of this, they are increasingly becoming "Mandarinized" so as to better their economic chances in China.
Lankov also has another article in the Asia Times on the same area, entitled, "Two countries, two systems, one porous border." This one deals more with the entire region, including North Korea, and the relationship between the two countries/peoples in that region. Both of these articles make for fascinating reads.
Comments
This is part of a very serious political dispute between the two Koreas and China. Beijing claims roughly 30% of northern Korea as "Chinese" while the two Koreas claim this area of NE China as originally Korean (The Red Devil warlord did rule much of what is now NE and eastern China roughly 5000-6000 years ago).
Beijing can't treat this minority-as-a-majority the same way they treat others (subjugation, birthing restrictions, expulsion and marginalization) because this is one subject where Pyongyang and Seoul are firmly united. And Chinese claims on existing Korean territory have driven the two closer together (close enough to spark other reunification efforts).
Posted by: nanheyangrouchuan | August 19, 2007 12:06 PM
nh --
Interesting ....
Posted by: China Law Blog | August 22, 2007 8:32 AM
Beijing do not "claim" Yanbian Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is under administration of Jilin Province. Beijing Municipality's authority do not extend to Jilin :)
Today's PRC-North Korean border follows Korean-Qing border which had been clearly delineated. While Goguryeo
did control large swath of present day NE China including Yanbian. By 1600s, this area is firmly under Manchu control. The current Korean population are descendants of two immigration wave from Northern Korea in late 1800s and early 1900s. Wikipedia has an excellent section on the land dispute dating from Korean immigration
Red Devil warlord?? Haha, it took me a while to realize that NH is talking about Chi You. So NH is Korean nationalist now? As my ancestors claim direct descent from Chi You, I rather take offense to other people (ahem Korean nationalist) use him to bolster their claim to antiquity. Btw. I have no problem with Hmong claim on Chi You, as according to both our oral tradition and Chinese written history, my ancestors clearly had some kind of blood tie to Hmong people.
Btw, nanheyangrouchuan please don't bother respond to this post. I am posting here for the benefit of sharing with others esp China Law Blog.
Posted by: papizha | August 22, 2007 1:40 PM