Ttaegol Village (), alternatively Ddaetgol Village, is an enclave of

Koryo-saram Koryo-saram (; ) or Koryoin () are ethnic Koreans of the post-Soviet states, former Soviet Union, who descend from Koreans that were living in the Russian Far East. Koreans first began settling in the Russian Far East in the late 19th century. ...

(ethnic Koreans of the mainland

former Soviet Union The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to their independence, they ...

) in Seonbu-dong,

Danwon District Danwon District () is a district of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administe ...

Ansan Ansan (, ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies southwest of Seoul and is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4. It is situated on the Yellow Sea coast and some islands lie ...

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

, South Korea. In Russian, the area goes by Ttekkol Samgori (), where "samgori" () is Korean for "three-way intersection". Around August 2022, around 7,000 people in the village were Koryo-saram. Along with

Gwangju Koryoin Village Gwangju Koryoin Village () is an enclave of Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans of the Post-Soviet states, former Soviet Union) in , Gwangsan District, Gwangju, South Korea. Along with Ansan's Ttaetgol Village, it is one of the largest communities of Kor ...

, it is one of the largest Koryo-saram enclaves in the country. By August 2022, 12% of the total population of Ansan was of foreign nationality. There is another Koryo-saram enclave in Ansan, which is located in

Sangnok District Sangnok District () is a district of the city of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The name "Sangnok" is came from the name of famous Korean novel ''Sangnoksu'' (meaning "evergreens"), written by Sim Hoon in 1936. Administrative divisions ...

. In August 2022, the total Koryo-saram population in Ansan was around 18,000.

Etymology

The village was once called Tti Village (), where ''tti'' is the Korean name for grass of the species ''

Imperata cylindrica ''Imperata cylindrica'' (commonly known as cogongrass or kunai grass ) is a species of Perennial plant, perennial rhizomatous grass native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia, Africa, and Southern Europe. It has al ...

''. The pronunciation of the village's name drifted over time until it became its current form.

History

Early history

During the Korean War, refugees took shelter in the area and did not become entangled in the fighting. This led to a belief that the area warded off misfortune. Koryo-saram began arriving in the area after 1992, as movement restrictions were eased after the

collapse of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

. The economies of the former Soviet states were impacted, which led to Koryo-saram seeking opportunities in South Korea. Ttaetgol was favored for its lower cost of living, as well as its proximity to factories, schools, and the capital

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

. The area is actually next to Wongok-dong, which is itself host to a large immigrant community of Joseon-jok (the Korean diaspora in China) and workers from South East Asia. A change to foreign employment visas in April 2007 led to another increase in the Koryo-saram population. The area grew through word of mouth, until it became significant by the early 2010s. Around 2011, the Koryo-saram population was around 2,000.

Growth

In October 2011, a night school called "Neomeo" () for learning the Korean language was created for Koryo-saram in the area. The school was founded by Kim Seung-ryeok (). Kim later said that he founded the school because he had heard that Koryo-saram were encountering difficulties and discrimination in South Korean society often due to their language barriers, so he wanted to assist them. The school also offers a wide array of services. It offers assistance in civil rights, worker's rights, immigration, translation, job placement, and space for community activities. A second branch of the school was opened in 2014 for a smaller Koryo-saram community in

, elsewhere in the city. The school also started a local market where residents swapped and exchanged goods that they no longer needed, and organized meetings between South Korean and Koryo-saram residents to discuss common issues. Ttaetgol Village 02

Before the return migration of Koryo-saram began, the area had had an aging population, and had many empty houses. The immigrants rejuvenated the community, as they brought their families along with them, which led to an increase in the number of children in the area. Around 2014, the local Seonil Elementary School had been on the brink of closure before the migration. By 2022, 70% of the 300 students at the school were children of immigrants, and 90% of that group were Koryo-saram. The school had to urgently prepare Russian-speaking teachers and after school Korean language programs. The community had some friction with the South Korean residents, due to miscommunications over how the South Korean garbage sorting system works, as well as terms of rental leases. Ttaetgol Village 04

In 2014, the district and city governments began devoting more attention to developing support institutions for Koryo-saram in the area. With help from the South Korean National Assembly, they secured over 1 billion won for various programs. The city established offices specifically to assist foreign residents. They also constructed a three-floored Koryo-saram community center that opened on October 10, 2015. The community center includes an exhibition and conference space in the basement, a Korean language education and counseling center on the first floor, and a youth study room and after-school programs on the second floor. Ttaetgol Village 01

A cafe for language exchange was also opened in late June 2015, and was called "Koryoin Cafe Ugolok" (), where ''ugolok'' () means a "comfortable place". The cafe served Russian and

Koryo-saram cuisine Koryo-saram are ethnic Koreans of the Post-Soviet states, former Soviet Union. They have a distinct style of cuisine that is descended from Korean cuisine and influenced by the cuisines of various countries they have lived in. They are often consi ...

. Around 2016, it was reported that around 90% of the residents in the area were Koryo-saram. The streets are reportedly quiet for much of the day, as people are away at work. Many signs are in

Cyrillic The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...

, and a significant proportion of the residents are primarily Russian speakers.

References

External links