Basics for studying Zainichi society 2: Newspapers in early postwar

Right after August 15, 1945, Koreans living in Japan started publishing hundreds of periodicals. Read Kobayashi Sōmei's book for the rough sketch of the Korean media. This is a classic and informative read.

The most basic thing to know is the names of 解放新聞 and 朝鮮新報. The leftist newspapers had a genealogy as follows. I hear our interviewees talking about 解放新聞 and 朝鮮新報 a lot. Leftist cadres often read 解放新聞 out loud in Korean neighborhoods (or slums) in various places because many were illiterate. Chongryon gatherings (among members, cadres, and at workplaces) also had a regular activity of 朝鮮新報 reading and discussion. The newspaper, as an official newspaper of Chongryon, still continues today.

1. 民衆新聞 1945.10.10~

2. ウリ新聞 1946. 8.15~ (民衆新聞 and 大衆新聞 merged; two issues only)

3. 解放新聞 1946. 9.1~

4. 朝鮮民報 1957.1.1~

5. 朝鮮新報 1961.1~ (became daily 1961.9)

Non-leftist newspapers:

• 朝鮮国際新聞 1946.5~

• 国際タイムス 1946. (probably around) 6~1948.12

• 国際日日新聞

The genealogy of Mindan newspapers (not sure of the phases):

1. 朝鮮新聞（「建青」系）

2. 新朝鮮新聞

3. 民団新聞

4. 民主新聞

5. 韓国新聞

6. 民団新聞

I actually find 統一朝鮮新聞 fascinating but it requires a bit of contextualization. Wait for another post on zainichi groups of different orientations.

In Kansai:

1. 朝鮮新報（merger of four smaller newspapers) 1946.6~; not related to the leftist 朝鮮新報 above. Some editors and writers were leftists, but the owner was a profit-seeking businessman. There were clashes between opposing camps in the company.

2. 新世界新聞 originally published only in Japanese by the owner of 朝鮮新報; the Korean version started by renaming 朝鮮新報, 1948.7~circa. 1992.

3. 新朝鮮新報 1949.5~ (opposing 新世界新聞 taking over 朝鮮新報) unclear when it stopped publishing.