Koreans in the Czech Republic
Encyclopedia
There are small numbers of Koreans in the Czech Republic, comprising both North
and South
Koreans.
s in the 1950s studied in either Czechoslovakia
or Hungary
. In 1955, there were student demonstrations at Charles University in response to the financial assistance and preferential treatment shown to North Korean students. There were about 150 North Korean students in Czechoslovakia in 1989, according the to the personal testimony of two among them—both students at a dental college in Prague—who defected to South Korea in February that year. Other sources reported 200. North Korea recalled them all back home after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990.
that manufactures sheets for cars and travel bags, and others in Skuteč
. M-Plus, a Czech labour broker company with contacts in the North Korean Ministry of Light Industry, arranged most of their visas and employment contracts. The workers were typically women between 18 and 22 years of age, and came from politically reliable families; they saw their assignment to the Czech Republic as a reward and a good opportunity to earn money.
According to media reports, about half eventually learned to speak Czech
and sometimes socialised with the other workers at their factories, primarily Ukrainian migrants
and local people, discussing work-related topics. European media coverage described the workers as "21st-century slaves", a characterisation which their employers strongly disputed, pointing out that their wages, work hours, and overtime payments were the same as their colleagues of other nationalities. However, they always moved around in groups, never alone, and were accompanied by a North Korean government minder at all times. In 2004, a television crew came to Skutec
in an attempt to film and investigate North Korean workers there. However, shortly after their arrival, they were attacked by 30 North Korean women throwing stones, and lost their footage. Media figures later speculated that the widespread coverage of the North Korean workers' plight had made them feel threatened, and that the publicity may have actually damaged their standing and put their families in danger. A 2006 Czech police investigation revealed that the women deposited nearly 80% of their wages into a collective bank account; this was further corroborated by testimony from defector
Kim Tae-san, formerly an official at the North Korean embassy in Prague.
Eventually, due to the negative publicity, and pressure from U.S.-based customers due to the 2006 North Korean nuclear test
and the resulting sanctions
, many companies stopped employing North Korean guest workers, and the Czech Republic stopped issuing employment visas to them. However, even after the existing visas expired, 144 North Koreans continued to work in the Czech Republic. Media reports speculated that the remaining North Koreans may have been granted individual exemptions by immigration officials, or had been able to obtain other types of visas.
. South Korea's National Institute for International Education Development recognises one Korean weekend school in the Czech Republic, the Prague Hangul School (프라하한글학교), founded in January 1997; , it employed seven teachers and enrolled 35 students at the kindergarten through middle school levels. Portrayals in popular culture include the show Lovers in Prague.
In Prague, the Evangelical
church U Jákobova žebříku ("At Jacob's Ladder"), near the Kobylisy station of the Prague Metro
, is popular with Koreans.
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Koreans.
Students
Most North Korean international studentInternational student
According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national...
s in the 1950s studied in either Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
or Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. In 1955, there were student demonstrations at Charles University in response to the financial assistance and preferential treatment shown to North Korean students. There were about 150 North Korean students in Czechoslovakia in 1989, according the to the personal testimony of two among them—both students at a dental college in Prague—who defected to South Korea in February that year. Other sources reported 200. North Korea recalled them all back home after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990.
Guest workers
There was formerly a contingent of nearly four hundred North Koreans working in the Czech Republic, including about ninety women working as seamstresses in Snezka, a company in NáchodNáchod
Náchod -History:Náchod was founded in 14th century by knight Hron of Načeradice, who founded a castle on a strategical place, where local trade road reaches the defile called Branka. The first written note dates back to 1254.-Castle:...
that manufactures sheets for cars and travel bags, and others in Skuteč
Skutec
Skuteč is a small town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic near from the town Hlinsko. It has about 5,400 inhabitants.-External links:*...
. M-Plus, a Czech labour broker company with contacts in the North Korean Ministry of Light Industry, arranged most of their visas and employment contracts. The workers were typically women between 18 and 22 years of age, and came from politically reliable families; they saw their assignment to the Czech Republic as a reward and a good opportunity to earn money.
According to media reports, about half eventually learned to speak Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
and sometimes socialised with the other workers at their factories, primarily Ukrainian migrants
Ukrainians in the Czech Republic
There is a large community of Ukrainians in the Czech Republic. Labour migration from Ukraine to what is now the Czech Republic began to grow to a large scale in the early 1990s. In 1991, there were just 8,500 Ukrainian citizens on Czech territory...
and local people, discussing work-related topics. European media coverage described the workers as "21st-century slaves", a characterisation which their employers strongly disputed, pointing out that their wages, work hours, and overtime payments were the same as their colleagues of other nationalities. However, they always moved around in groups, never alone, and were accompanied by a North Korean government minder at all times. In 2004, a television crew came to Skutec
Skutec
Skuteč is a small town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic near from the town Hlinsko. It has about 5,400 inhabitants.-External links:*...
in an attempt to film and investigate North Korean workers there. However, shortly after their arrival, they were attacked by 30 North Korean women throwing stones, and lost their footage. Media figures later speculated that the widespread coverage of the North Korean workers' plight had made them feel threatened, and that the publicity may have actually damaged their standing and put their families in danger. A 2006 Czech police investigation revealed that the women deposited nearly 80% of their wages into a collective bank account; this was further corroborated by testimony from defector
North Korean defectors
A number of individuals have defected from North Korea. Since the division of Korea after World War II and the end of the Korean War , many people have defected from North Korea, mainly for political, ideological, religious and economic reasons...
Kim Tae-san, formerly an official at the North Korean embassy in Prague.
Eventually, due to the negative publicity, and pressure from U.S.-based customers due to the 2006 North Korean nuclear test
2006 North Korean nuclear test
The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted on October 9, 2006 by North Korea.North Korea announced its intention to conduct a test on October 3, six days prior, and in doing so became the first nation to give warning of its first nuclear test...
and the resulting sanctions
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on October 14, 2006. The resolution, passed under Chapter VII, Article 41, of the UN Charter, imposes a series of economic and commercial sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of...
, many companies stopped employing North Korean guest workers, and the Czech Republic stopped issuing employment visas to them. However, even after the existing visas expired, 144 North Koreans continued to work in the Czech Republic. Media reports speculated that the remaining North Koreans may have been granted individual exemptions by immigration officials, or had been able to obtain other types of visas.
South Koreans
The population of South Koreans in the Czech Republic more than quadrupled between 2005 and 2009, according to the statistics of South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TradeMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (South Korea)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in charge of diplomacy for South Korea, as well as handling external trade and matters related to overseas Korean nationals. It was established on 17 July 1948. Until 1998, the ministry was known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; its jurisdiction over...
. South Korea's National Institute for International Education Development recognises one Korean weekend school in the Czech Republic, the Prague Hangul School (프라하한글학교), founded in January 1997; , it employed seven teachers and enrolled 35 students at the kindergarten through middle school levels. Portrayals in popular culture include the show Lovers in Prague.
In Prague, the Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
church U Jákobova žebříku ("At Jacob's Ladder"), near the Kobylisy station of the Prague Metro
Prague Metro
The Prague Metro is a subway, underground public transportation network in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the fastest means of transportation around the city and serves about one and a half million passengers a day, which makes it the seventh busiest metro system in Europe and the most-used in the...
, is popular with Koreans.