Mindan

Korean Residents Union in Japan
Korean name
Hangul 재일본대한민국민단 Hanja 在日本大韓民國民團 Revised Romanization Jae-Ilbon Daehanminguk Mindan McCune-Reischauer Chae-Ilbon Taehan Min'guk Mindan
Japanese name
Kanji 在日本大韓民国民団 Hepburn Zai-Nihon Daikanminkoku Mindan

Mindan (Korean: 민단), or the Korean Residents Union in Japan (Korean: 재일본대한민국민단), is the name of one of two main organizations for Koreans living in Japan, the other being Chongryon. Mindan has ties to South Korea and was established in 1946 in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, among 610,000 Korean residents in Japan who have not adopted Japanese nationality, 65 percent are members of Mindan, and another 25 percent are members of Chongryon.

Mindan members prefer the modern term Kankoku (韓国) to be used when discussing Korea. Chongryon members, some of whom are North Korean fellow travellers, prefer the older term Chōsen (朝鮮). Because Chōsen was the term used during the Japanese occupation of Korea, but North Korea does not recognize Kankoku, this causes enmity between the groups.

Activities

• Mindan provided food supplies for the victims suffered from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

See also

• Japan-Korea relations
• Ethnic issues in Japan
• Koreatowns in Japan
• Korean diaspora (a.k.a. 'Dongpo' or 'Gyopo')

External links

• Korean Residents Union in Japan (MINDAN) (Korean, Japanese, English)
• History of Mindan (English)
• Online Newspaper covering Zainichi Korean and Mindan (English)
• Republic of Korea (ROK) Embassy in Japan (Korean / Japanese)