Korean Red Cross

The 'Reverse Visit' Program for Victims from Sakhalin

- Departure from Incheon national airport, June 18th at 1:35pm -

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Korean Red Cross(KRC, President Park Kyung-Seo) carried out the 'reverse visit' program for 438 people visiting Sakhalin, where they had conscripted decades ago. This program will let them reunite with their family in Sakhalin or other regions. These 438 beneficiaries have received the support from KRC helping their homecoming to Korea. They are living in Seoul, Gyeong-gi, Incheon, and 24 other regions.

These people are first generation of former conscripted worker in Sakhalin, Russia. While Korea have suffered the colonial era under the Japan, between 1938 and 1945, they were taken to Sakhalin and forced to tough labor under the miserable environment. After the national independence, they became free but couldn't come back to hometown and had to stay a lot of years in Sakhalin.

KRC have provided the victims with homecoming support from 1992. By this support, 4,399 people could come back to Korea and 2,763 people are still living in various part of the country.

The reverse visit program have been operated once a year from 2001, supported by both Korean and Japanese government. It helped the former conscripted workers in Korea to visit back Sakhalin because they want to meet leaved family. If some beneficiaries can't participate by reason of the health reason, KRC would invite the family to Korea.

From June 18th, earlier than last year, the journey is to be started from the flight to Sakhalin. Next the course to Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Moscow(Russia), Almaty(Kazakhstan) would be progressed. The length of the stay depends on the individual preference, 1~3months. They are going to have a time with their grandchild in school vacation.

The assigned airline would be Russian, due to the July suspension route of the Sakhalin, Khabarovsk by Asiana airline.