The Ussuriysk Korean Cultural Center (Russian: Корейский культурный центр, Уссурийск; Korean: 우수리스크 고려인문화센터) is a branch of the South Korean organization Korean Cultural Centers in Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai, Russia.[1] It was built in 2009, and serves as an activity center for Koryo-saram: ethnic Koreans of the former Soviet Union.[1] It also houses the Maritime Territory Koryo-saram Cultural Association (Национально-культурной автономии корейцев города Уссурийска и Приморского края, 'National-cultural Autonomy of Koreans of the City of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai'; 연해주 고려인 민족 문화 자치회).[1]
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The building is host to a Museum of the History of Russian Koreans, which covers the history of Koryo-saram.[2]
An Ussuriysk Koryo-saram cultural organization was first established in 1991. Planning for the construction of a building for their activities began in 2004, and was completed by 2009.[1] It has two floors above ground, and a floor area of around 4,000 square meters (43,000 sq ft).[1] The history museum was first opened on October 31, 2009.[1] The organization also manages a separate history exhibit at the former house of the Korean independence activist Choi Jae-hyeong [ko] (Пётр Семёнович Цой).[1][3][4] A monument to another independence activist An Jung-geun also stands outside the building.[4]
The building is now host to a number of cultural activities, including free Korean language classes,[4] a Korean traditional dance group Arirang (named for Arirang, the Korean folk song), and a Korean drum group.[1] A Korean restaurant and library are present on the first floor.[1] A monthly Russian-language newspaper is also published from the building.[4]
The building and organization have become notable for their celebrations of the holiday Chuseok.[5][1] Their events become so popular with non-Korean residents of the city, that the mayor of Ussuriysk observed in October 2014 that the holiday had become a holiday for the entire city.[1] For their 2023 celebration, on the 160th anniversary of the first arrival of Koreans emigrants to Russia, over a thousand Koryo-saram participated.[1]
On September 6, 2017, the First Lady of South Korea Kim Jung-sook visited the building and participated in several cultural activities.[6]
