A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea

Masaji Ishikawa’s life story unfolds against the backdrop of several tumultuous periods in Korean history, highlighting the legacy of Japanese colonialism and the struggles that ensued following the division of the Korean peninsula. From 1910 to 1945, Japan’s colonization of Korea subjected its citizens to forced labor, cultural suppression, and brutal rule. During this period, many Koreans immigrated to Japan or, like Ishikawa’s father, were actively recruited to address labor shortages, facing harsh working conditions upon their arrival.

Japan’s defeat in World War II prompted many Koreans to repatriate, but a significant number remained in Japan as the Korean War (1950–1953) split their homeland into two ideologically opposed states. The end of the American post-war occupation in Japan (1952) led to the legal reclassification of Koreans as foreigners, stripping even Japan-born Koreans of their national status. Known as “Zainichi” (the Japanese term for “residing in Japan”), Koreans who stayed endured a mix of economic hardship and social exclusion, being left in a legal limbo that barred them from employment and social mobility.

In 1955, the General Association of Korean Residents, or Chongryon, was established to provide a sense of community and belonging. Funded by North Korea, Chongryon built schools that gradually incorporated the government’s ideology. By the late 1950s, North Korea began a repatriation program, relying heavily on Chongryon’s network of schools to encourage Koreans in Japan to resettle under promises of citizenship, housing, education, and employment. The program was initially seen as a humanitarian measure and received broad support from the Japanese government, media, and population, largely due to pervasive anti-Korean discrimination.

The deceptive picture of a utopian workers’ paradise enticed many, including Ishikawa’s father, only to shatter their expectations upon arriving in North Korea. Returnees faced the harsh realities of the totalitarian regime, including strict social control, limited freedoms, and chronic food shortages. Ishikawa’s memoir details these desperate times, showcasing the regime’s impact on its citizens and their struggles for survival. Ishikawa defected in 1996 through a perilous journey across the heavily guarded Yalu River border with neighboring China, eventually making his way back to Japan.