Abstract

The liberation of 1945 marked a transnational turning point, with far-reaching consequences that reshaped both individual lives and migration patterns across East Asia. For Koreans in Manchuria, the initial joy following Japan’s defeat quickly gave way to uncertainty, as the collapse of empire and the outbreak of civil war in China triggered widespread displacement. This article examines the migration of Manchurian Koreans during the immediate post-liberation period (1945–1950), arguing that return to Korea was an active response to the political turmoil and revolutionary upheaval unfolding in Manchuria. Drawing on autobiographies, local newspapers, and US military interrogation records, this study explores the experiences of migrants and highlights their agency in navigating these disruptions through networks of kinship, friendship, and community. It contends that these migrant networks grew increasingly complex during this period of displacement, laying the foundation for persistent transnational migration between North Korea and Northeast China in the 1950s and 1960s. By tracing the trajectories of Korean migrants in Manchuria, this paper contributes to broader understandings of refugee experiences, migrant agency, and the role of migrant networks in shaping East Asia’s postwar transformation.