Lydia Doh
University of North Korean Studies

Received June 24, 2024; Revised version received August 5, 2024; Accepted August 20, 2024

Abstract

The League of Koreans in Japan (Chae Ilbon Chosŏnin Yŏnmaeng; abbreviated as Choryon 朝連) was officially established on October 15, 1945. In its early days, ideological divisions between left- and right-leaning factions were not yet overt. However, internal struggles for leadership eventually pushed the organization toward alignment with communist forces, leading to its support for the North Korean regime. Although Choryon’s founding congress nominally promoted unity across ideological lines, figures such as Kim Chon-hae—known for his anti-Japanese resistance—found it impossible to reconcile with individuals linked to pro- Japanese collaboration. Within a year of Korea’s liberation, the community of Koreans residents in Japan had become so deeply polarized that even joint commemoration of the March First Independence Movement became unfeasible. This division only deepened during the Cold War, especially after the establishment of separate governments in North and South Korea. Each faction within the community of Korean residents effectively became a conduit for advancing the unification policies of the respective authoritarian regime it supported.

Key Words : Choryon, ideological division, Korean residents in Japan, Rhee Syngman, Kim Il-sung, March First Movement