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Changes in the Russian Far East

 As Primorsky Krai encompassing Kamchatsky Krai, Uda, and Preamuriye was formed in the East Siberia in late 1865, Russia reoccupied Amur Oblast which had been lost in the late 17th century. With the signing of the Convention of Peking in 1860, Primorsky Krai incorporated the vast Southern Ussuri Krai adjacent to Uda in the north, Manchuria in the west, Ussuri Cossacks in the northwest, Manchuria and some part of Joseon in the south, and the Strait of Tartary and Pyotr Velikiy Bay in the east. As the southern boundary of Primorsky Krai went down to Duman River, Russia became adjacent to a new neighboring country, Joseon, in the Far East.

 As the region of Preamuriye was separated from East Siberia in 1884, the Government General of Preamuriye was newly formed. East Siberia was divided into two governments— the Government General of Irkutsk and the Government General of Preamuriye. The Government General of Irkutsk was based in Irkutsk and encompassed Yenisey, Irkutsk, and Yakutsk Oblast. The Government General of Preamuriye was based in Khabarovsk and encompassed Zabaykalsky, Amur Oblast, Primorsky Krai, and Sakhalin Oblast. As the Russian Far East became an independent political administrative unit, Russia’s development of the Far East accelerated much more actively than before.

The immigration of Korean people into Primorsky Krai

 In the 1860s, people of Northern Joseon adjacent to the borders began to move to the Far East due to the years of famine and in order to escape from exploitation by venal officials. Immigration of Korean people, which was economically useful, developed as a political issue as their number increased.

 In 1884, Governor-General Korf categorized Korean immigrants into three, those who immigrated before 1884, after 1884, and seasonal workers. He divided Korean people again into Category 1 and Category 2 in 1891. Although he gave Russian citizenship to Category 1 Korean people who had immigrated before 1884, he made Category 2 Korean people who had immigrated after 1884 leave the settlements, considering them as foreigners. With the policy to encourage Korean people’s immigration by Dukhovskoi, who was newly appointed as Governor-General in 1893, restrictions for Category 2 Korean people were eased and their number increased rapidly.

 As Japan made Joseon its protectorate in 1905, Korean people began to immigrate into the Far East for asylum. The number of Korean immigrants was incomparable with the past. The Russian Far East became a refuge for Korean people and a base for anti-Japanese movements at the same time.

Korean people’s independence movements in Vladivostok

 After Ahn Jung-geun assassinated Ito Hirobumi on Oct. 26, 1909, anti-Japanese movements became more active in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai. After Vladivostok Newspaper delivered the news about the Treaty of Japan’s Forced Annexation of Korea on Aug. 23, 1910, Lee Beom-yun formed Seongmyeonghoe with Yu In-seok and Yi Sang-seol.  The name of the group, Seongmyeonghoe, means, “We denounce the enemy for their crimes and widely promote our resentment.” The goal of Seongmyeonghoe was, “As Korean people, we swear and realize the liberation of Korea even though we die.” Seongmyeonghoe wrote the Statement of Seongmyeonghoe, signed by 8,624 persons, in English, Russian, etc. in order to widely denounce Japan’s illegal occupation of Korea and sent the Statement to the powers which had diplomatic relations with Joseon before the signing of Eulsa Unwilling Treaty. Given that around 50,000 Korean people lived in Primorsky Krai and each household consisted of 5 or 6 persons at that time, almost all Korean families participated in the movement. In Sep. 1910, Seongmyeonghoe was eventually disbanded due to Imperial Japan’s interruption. However, Korean people in Primorsky Krai formed Gwoneophoe in 1911 and the government of the Daehan Liberation Army in 1914 based upon Seongmyeonghoe organization.

 Meanwhile, the Russian authorities, given Japan’s diplomatic pressure, issued an order to arrest Korean leaders. At dawn on Sep. 12, 1910, the Russian police made a surprise attack on the Korean village called Gaecheok-ri and arrested Korean people. Lee Beom-yun escaped the Russian authorities’ arrest and escaped with Hong Beom-do. Of the arrested figures, seven people-Kim Jwa-du, An Han-ju, Yi Gyu-pung, Lee Beom-seok, Gwon Yu-sang, Yi Gi, and Yi Chi-gwon-were banished to Irkutsk on Oct. 10. On Jul. 5, 1911, they were released from banishment and returned to Vladivostok.

 In August 1910, Nikolsk-Ussuriysk governor H. A. Kesselman (Н. А. Кессельман) identified the whereabouts of Lee Beom-yun, etc. and reported to military governor-general of Primorsky Krai H. K. Svechin (И. К. Свечин). Kesselman found out the whereabouts of Lee Beom-yun, Yi Sang-seol, etc. through his secret agents. Lee Beom-yun, Hong Beom-do, Yu In-seok, etc. lived in 463, Korean Village, Vladivostok and Yi Sang-seol resided in Chernenko, 56, Pologaya Street (Пологая улица).

 On Sep. 12, 1910, a district attorney of Vladivostok Court recorded about the arrest of Korean independence activists as follows. On Aug. 30, 1910, Russian police arrested 28 Korean suspects. Lee Beom-yun (Лю-боси-юн), Hong Beom-do (Хон-хон-до), Yu In-seok (Ню-ин-си), Kim Hak-man (Ким-хан-ман), etc. who resided in the Korean village in Vladivostok were the leaders of the group and the members of the Partisan Unit. The chief of the Russian police reported that they searched for Korean independence activists and found eight sheets of paper containing Chinese characters and a name list written on a yellow wrapping paper.

 Nonetheless, in May 1911, the Russian government decided to withdraw deportation of Korean independence activists including Lee Beom-yun. Japanese diplomats demanded the Russian government to deport “Korean patriots” among Korean people living in Primorsky Krai, however the Russian government understood Japan’s true intention and made the withdrawl. It implies Russia’s support for Korean people’s independence movements.