There are 203 Koreans who are in a small village, Utoro in Japan. They have lived in Utoro since their ancestors were drafted for labor during the Japanese colonization period and they couldn’t afford the fare to go back to Korea. More than 60 years later, they are about to be kicked out. A news clip is below. Korean descendents living in Utoro, Japan are facing a difficult time as their residence is about to be sold to another buyer. The move could oust them from their homes as early as this month… Utoro was first built in the 1940s when the Japanese colony drafted 1,300 Koreans to build strips for the air force. But the construction was not completed because the war ended before the development was finished. As a result, those Koreans were left stranded in the middle of nowhere. People who could not afford to go back to Korea gathered around the town of Utoro and lived in slated houses, battling poverty and racism. However, the Japanese government, which owned the land and let the Koreans stay there, sold the real estate to a private corporation in 1987. Since then, the residents had to struggle against those who tried to sell the land and rid of them from their homes. In 2005, their news caught the eye of several progressive people in Korea and 500 million won was contributed to allow the people buy the land from the Japanese owners, but it was only a fraction of what the owners were asking. Recently, the new landlord told residents that another real estate development company was willing to buy the land. He gave the ultimatum that unless the current residents buy the land, or at least tell him that they would buy the land by July 31 (Editor: It’s delayed to the end of August), it will be sold off and that they will have to leave. The bidder is said to be in the planning stages in developing the land. In 2005, Ban Ki-moon, then foreign affairs minister and currently secretary-general of the United Nations, promised the residents aide if the donation by civilians fails to meet the required amount. Kim Kyo-il, the village headman, and seven others visited the National Assembly, sponsors and civic groups asking for help. However, the government said it is impossible to give them money, as it would be unfair to other Koreans living in Japan who are not entitled to government subsidies. According to some reports, all it can do is help find a social welfare center that could accept them after the demolition takes place. Kim said he understands the government's dilemma. “But what we are expecting is some legal advice which does not require large amounts of money,” he added. To many residents, leaving the village means more than just moving away. The place has been a haven for those who were discriminated by Japanese society. “Utoro was labeled a Joseon slum among Kyoto residents. Many people looked down on us and put us through hard times. But we were happy that we had each other's company,” Kim said. During their trip to Korea, some non-governmental organization members held charity concerts and encouraged residents by holding campaigns to promote the story of Utoro. Several lawmakers, who were supporters, promised to address their plight in the National Assembly, but the plenary session is due in September, and it may be too late. “But thank you all for caring for us this much. We will fight to our last to live in our places, and please pray for us and support us in Korea,” the Korean residents in Utoro said as they left for Japan Tuesday. The 6,400 pyong (587.6 square meters) of land was where they kept their identity as Koreans, Bae Ji-won, director of Utoro supporters’ group, said. She explained that the 1,300 residents, who were literally drawn to the land, received no compensation from the Japanese government for the draft and the land they live in is the only thing they rely on… Since several days left, the appeals from netizens to let people support Utoro have been rapidly growing up. Some bloggers express their ignorance through the internet and others make use of the internet, linking Utoro stories or making cartoons or flashes to get the attentions from people. Bloggers reflect on what they and the Korean government can and should do for Utoro people. 일제강점기 강제로 이주당한 그 사람들을 볼때마다 화가납니다. 국제방에 와서 보니 베스트에 올라있는 글들 중에 우토로란 현안을 언급하는 글들이 없어서 많이 아쉽습니다. 다시 한번 생각해 보았으면 합니다. 시한은 촉박하고 우리에게 점점 희망이 사라져 가지만 형평성이니 구제니 하기전에 우리정부가 할 수 있는 방법을 모색해보자고 말해보고 싶습니다. We should think again. Time is ticking and the hope is getting weaker. But before we argue about equality and aid, I hope that the government tries to find a solution. Bloggers like Hangulo suggest ideas of how to solve this problem. …최근에 300억원 이상 친일파의 땅을 환수하기로 했으면, 그중의 일부는, 일제시대때 끌려간 우리의 동포를 구제하는데 사용해야 하지 않나? 일본의 땅을 한국 정부가 구입하고, 일제시대 강제 징용자들에게 장기 임대하면 되는 문제다.