Complexities of Identity: When being from North Korea does not mean being North Korean

EXPLORING KOREA: Stories from Milwaukee to the DMZ and across a divided Peninsula. This special series explores historical sites and cultural traditions from across the Korean Peninsula, building a bridge back to the search for identity in Milwaukee. From the occupation of Korea at the end of World War II, to Korean War veterans in Milwaukee, veterans from Milwaukee who served in later years at the DMZ, adopted South Korean children who grew up in Milwaukee, different waves of the South Korean diaspora who moved to Milwaukee to raise their families, and even a defector from North Korea, their stories share generations of Korean and American experiences. https://mkeind.com/koreanstories

Once upon a time, before the Korean Peninsula was divided into the two starkly different nations of North Korea and South Korea, there was simply Korea. So entrenched is the modern division that a unified Korea seems like a fairytale, except that it was a reality until 1945.

The current division, and the aftermath of years of war, have cemented perceptions of North Korea. However, for many South Koreans and Korean Americans, their family histories can be traced back to regions that are now part of North Korea.

It is a challenge to explain what this accurately means. Having North Korean heritage from 1934 is not how Americans think of North Koreans in 2024. While technically accurate for geographical identification, it is drastically inappropriate for political identification.

To understand the situation requires delving into the rich historical context that predates the 1945 division of Korea, when a unified Korea existed with a cultural and national identity.

Before the traumatic events of the mid-20th century, Korea was one country with a celebrated past. The Joseon Dynasty, which ruled from 1392 to 1897, is one of the most notable periods in Korean history. The dynasty was characterized by significant developments in Confucian philosophy, literature, and science. The capital was established in Hanyang (modern-day Seoul), which became a cultural and political hub for the Korean people.

In 1897, the Joseon Dynasty transitioned into the Korean Empire, a brief period marked by attempts to modernize and resist foreign encroachment by Russia, China, and Japan. However, those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan, leading to 35 years of harsh colonial rule.

During the Japanese occupation, Koreans across the peninsula shared a common struggle for independence. The March 1st Movement of 1919, where thousands of Koreans took to the streets demanding freedom, was an example of the unified national spirit. Despite brutal repression, the movement laid the groundwork for future resistance efforts.

The end of World War II in 1945 brought a glimmer of hope for Koreans as Japanese rule ended. However, the period also marked the beginning of a new and painful chapter. The Korean Peninsula was divided along the 38th parallel into two zones of occupation: the Soviet Union in the north and the United States in the south. The division, initially intended to be temporary, was a geopolitical compromise in the early stages of the Cold War.

The establishment of separate governments in 1948 further entrenched the division. The North, under Kim Il-sung, embraced Communism and established the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The South, under Syngman Rhee, adopted a capitalist system and became the Republic of Korea (ROK). The ideological divide set the stage for the Korean War (1950-1953), a devastating conflict that sealed the separation of the two Koreas in perpetuity.

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel and invaded the South. The war quickly escalated into an international conflict, with the United States and other United Nations forces supporting South Korea, while China and the Soviet Union backed the North. The war resulted in immense destruction and loss of life, leaving an indelible mark on the Korean people.

An armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, creating the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a heavily fortified border that still exists today. However, no formal peace treaty was ever signed, meaning that the two Koreas remain technically at war. The DMZ stands as a stark reminder of the peninsula’s division, separating families and creating vastly different political and economic realities on either side.

The 1945 division of Korea and the Korean War caused significant migration and displacement. Many Koreans fled the North to escape the civil war, political persecution, and economic hardship, seeking refuge in the South or abroad. The mass movement of people created complex family dynamics and reshaped the demographic landscape of South Korea and the Korean diaspora.

For those who migrated, the transition was often fraught with difficulties. The journey to the South was perilous, and many families were separated, with members left behind in the North. The experiences of the refugees, known as “seongnanmin” or war refugees, are a somber part of South Korea’s history. Their stories of survival, adaptation, and loss continue to resonate today.

In the United States, Korean Americans with roots in the northern regions often carry the legacy of the traumatic displacement. Their family histories include tales of abandoning their home and families in one region to seek safety in another, surrounded by uncertainty and adversity. Despite the physical separation from their ancestral lands in the north, the cultural and emotional ties to their birthplace remain strong. The inconvenient reality is that North Korea is now an enemy land.

For many South Koreans and Korean Americans, understanding their family origins in what is now North Korea is an important part of their identity. But the historical context challenges the simplistic notion of a monolithic national identity, and the American understanding of what it means to be Korean.

To borrow an example from Europe, before 1945 the city of Lviv was part of Poland. After World War II it became part of Ukraine. Americans with ancestors born in Lviv in the 1930s think of themselves as Polish. They are not retroactively Ukrainian. Yet the opposite perception is often applied to descendants of Koreans born in the north. They are not retroactively North Korean.

The shared history of a unified Korea before 1945 encompassed a sense of continuity and common heritage among Koreans, regardless of their current nationality. The cultural practices, traditions, and values that originated in the northern regions before 1945 continue to influence the broader Korean culture – even if they have been abandoned or repressed in modern-day North Korea itself. Festivals, dialects, and culinary traditions are just a few examples of how the influences persist.

The division of Korea has not erased the collective memory of a once unified nation. Many South Koreans and Korean Americans honor their northern roots through stories passed down from one generation to the next, maintaining a connection to their ancestral lands. The shared heritage is often celebrated in cultural events and community gatherings, reinforcing a sense of unity and pride.

The historical context of Korea’s division also has significant political and social implications. In South Korea, there is a strong desire for reunification, driven by the belief in a shared Korean identity. Such aspirations are reflected in various political movements and policies aimed at fostering dialogue and cooperation with the North.

The South Korean government has periodically engaged in efforts to improve relations with North Korea, such as the Sunshine Policies established in the late 1990s. The initiatives, while often met with challenges, underscore the longstanding hope for a peaceful reunification, and the restoration of familial and cultural ties.

For Korean Americans, the geographical and historical context influences their perspectives on the Korean Peninsula’s future. Many advocate for peace and reconciliation, supporting efforts to bridge the divide between the two Koreas. Their unique position, as individuals with connections to both South Korea and their ancestral regions in the North, has allowed them to play a vital role in promoting understanding and dialogue.

As the Korean Peninsula continues to face an uncertain future, the shared history of a unified Korea serves as a powerful reminder of how historical connections can transcend political boundaries.