Gwangju Koryoin Village

Gwangju Koryoin Village
Community centers of the village on left and right (2022)
Community centers of the village on left and right (2022)
Map
Coordinates: 35°10′21″N 126°48′22″E / 35.1726°N 126.8062°E / 35.1726; 126.8062
CountrySouth Korea
CityGwangju
DistrictGwangsan District
NeighborhoodWolgok-dong [ko]
First Koryo-saram settlement2002
Incorporated2014
Founded byShin Jo-ya
Population
 • Estimate 
(2022)
7,000
 Koryo-saram population
Websitewww.koreancoop.com (in Korean)

Gwangju Koryoin Village (Korean: 광주고려인마을) is an enclave of Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans of the former Soviet Union) in Wolgok-dong [ko], Gwangsan District, Gwangju, South Korea.[1] Along with Ansan's Ttaetgol Village, it is one of the largest communities of Koryo-saram in the country.[2] It had around 7,000 Koryo-saram residents by 2022.

The village has become a tourist destination. Signs written in Cyrillic script are visible throughout the district.[3] In 2024, there were reportedly around 100 businesses operated by Koryo-saram, with restaurants and stores showcasing their culture.[4] Restaurants serve Koryo-saram cuisine such as morkovcha and Russosphere dishes such as shashlik, plov, and somsa.[5][3]

  1. ^ Jung-youn, Lee (2023-02-24). "[Weekender] Koryoin from Ukraine find new home in ancestors' land". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  2. ^ "The long journey of Korejskij". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  3. ^ a b Lee, Hyo-jin (2022-04-01). "[SPECIAL REPORT] Koryoin feel at home in Gwangju". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ [시인 최원준의 음식문화 잡학사전] 고려인 동포 음식과 광주 고려인 마을. The Kookje Daily News. Retrieved 2023-10-12.