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Korean–Mongolian Solidarity in the Early 1920s: Its Limits and the Role of Nam Maria

  • Journal of Manchurian Studies
  • Abbr : 만주연구
  • 2026, (41), pp.71~98
  • Publisher : The Manchurian Studies Association
  • Research Area : Social Science > Area Studies > East Asia > China
  • Received : March 20, 2026
  • Accepted : April 27, 2026
  • Published : April 30, 2026

Oh Mi Young 1

1단국대학교(천안캠퍼스) 몽골연구소

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the attempts and limits of Korean-Mongolian solidarity in the early 1920s socialist revolutionary context. Focusing on the mediating role of Nam Maria, it analyzes how solidarity between Korea and Mongolia unfolded and why it ultimately failed to develop into sustained cooperation. In the 1910s, Mongolian nationalists viewed Mongolia as a potential new base for the Korean independence movement, but the sudden death of Lee Tae-jun greatly weakened this base. In the 1920s, however, the establishment of integrated organizations such as the Sino-Korean-Mongolian Revolutionary Committee, the Eastern Bureau, and the Far Eastern Secretariat laid the political foundation for Korean-Mongolian solidarity. Within this international anti-Japanese united front, close negotiations took place between of and Mongolian revolutionary forces. During this process, Nam Maria married the Mongolian revolutionary leader Rinchino and moved to Mongolia in 1921. The Congress of the Toilers of the Far East, held in 1921, marked a decisive turning point atwhich KoreanMongolian solidarity became more concrete. With the assistance of Nam Maria, who was staying in Mongolia, the Korean delegation— composed of figures such as Lyuh Woon-hyung and Kim Kyu-sik—was able to attend the congresstogether with the Mongolian delegation. Both sides also expanded their political solidarity by discussing concrete plans for national independence and liberation under Soviet support. However, limitations appeared in that the political negotiations between the Mongolian revolutionary Rinchino and Korean figures did not fully come to light. This appears to have stemmed from the differences in revolutionary strategies and approaches to diplomacy toward Japan. Meanwhile, the political changes following the success of the 1921revolution led Koreans under Japanese pressure to viewMongolia as a potential destination for migration. Casesbeen confirmed in which Koreans requested naturalization and residence from the Mongolian government, and Nam Maria exerted a certain degree of influence in this process under Rinchino's political protection. Although the Mongolian government was initially favorable toward Korean migration, its policies later revealed limitations as they became subordinated to Soviet directives amid changes in Soviet-Japanese relations. In this way, Korean-Mongolian solidarity showed certain possibilitieswithin the socialist international order. However, due to confusion in Soviet East Asian policy and Nam Maria’s move to the Soviet Union following Rinchino in 1925, it lost its central focus and ultimately failed to develop into substantive cooperation.

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This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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