Over 180 thousand citizens of Korean nationality live in Uzbekistan.

Their way of life, including raising children, caring for parents, and preserving family traditions, is in tune with the traditions and values of the Uzbek people. Among them are members of the Senate, deputy ministers, deputies, scientists, and teachers.

– Since 1937, Uzbekistan has been considered a home for Koreans, – says Viktor Pak, Chairman of the Association of Korean Cultural Centers in the Republic of Uzbekistan, Deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis. – That year, Koreans were deported to Uzbekistan. The Uzbek people lived poorly, but accepted everyone kindly and shared their last piece of bread. My grandfathers and parents always told me never to forget the kindness of the Uzbek people. Representatives of the Korean nationality, who ate the bread of Uzbekistan, fell in love with the local people and began to live and work in this country.

My boundless respect for the Uzbek people is associated with childhood memories of the Uzbek family. As fate would have it, my parents separated when I was two months old, and I was left in the arms of my grandmother. The child, deprived of parental milk and on the verge of death, was fed with her milk by a neighbor named Tukhtakhon. I was born to a Korean woman and nursed by an Uzbek woman. I called Mrs. Tukhtakhon, an Uzbek mother. I grew up with her children, and we were like brothers. Our almost family relationship continues to this day. Not every woman will breastfeed a child of another nationality, while depriving her child of food.

The friendship between the two peoples is becoming stronger. There are clubs for Korean youth studying the Korean language in Uzbekistan. There are Bucheon, Inha, and Yeoju universities, the Sejong Institute in Tashkent, and the Uzbekistan – Korean International University in Fergana. Memorandums of cooperation in various fields were signed with Korea.

As noted by the deputy head of the Korean cultural center of Mirzo Ulugbek district, Irina Tursunbayeva, Koreans are similar to Uzbeks in preserving family traditions and striving for family cohesion. Traditionally, grandparents, parents, sons and daughters-in-law, and grandchildren live in one family.

– My husband is Uzbek. We also live with our son, his wife, and grandchildren, – says I. Tursunbayeva. – My mother-in-law accepted me as her own. We respect and value each other.

It is safe to say that there will always be friendship between the Uzbek and Korean peoples.

N. Rakhmonova, UzA