Sinhanch'on[a] was an enclave of Koreans in Vladivostok that existed between 1911 and 1937, during which time the city was controlled for periods by the Russian Empire, Far Eastern Republic and finally the Soviet Union.

[2] Koreans occasionally ventured out into what is now Primorsky Krai to gather resources, but did not migrate there in significant numbers until a famine happened in Korea in 1869.

The plan called for the creation of a settlement for Chinese and Korean people[3] 2 km (1.2 mi) away from Kaech'ŏk-ri in the northwest outskirts of the city.

[11] This was done under the pretext of combatting an outbreak of cholera, although this justification has since been doubted by South Korean historians.

[18][4] Around the time of the 1910 annexation of Korea, Sinhanch'on served as a hub for the Korean independence movement.

[4] As it developed, it became a center for Koreans in the region, and was even dubbed the "Seoul of the Russian Far East" (원동의 서울).

[20] On the surface, the group was meant to serve as a regional body for Koreans across Primorskaya Oblast that forwarded agriculture, commerce, industry, and education.

It established Korea's first provisional government-in-exile,[17] the Korean Independence Army Government [ko], and gradually began secretly building an army, in part by misusing local government grants, to fight for Korea's liberation.

Under Japanese pressure, Russian authorities declared martial law and ordered that no protests be held.

Protests continued the following day; Korean workers striked and another rally was held in Sinhanch'on.

[23][24] In the aftermath of the incident, numerous independence activists fled the enclave, with a number congregating in Shanghai to join the Korean Provisional Government.

Around the time of the civil war, groups like the Sinhanch'on Korean People's Association (신한촌 조선인민회) and Sinhanch'on East Village Korean People's Association (신한촌 동촌 조선인민회) formed around these ideologies.

[26][13] The enclave holds an important historical place in both the Korean independence movement and the history of Koryo-saram.

[9] A small park and Sinhanch'on Memorial (신한촌 기념탑) stand near the former site of the enclave; these were completed on August 15,[30] 1999 by the Institute of Overseas Korean Affairs (해외한민족연구소).

[29][27] A Yonhap News Agency reporter wrote in January 2023 that the monument had never been properly registered with the government, and that it was unknown who currently managed it.

[27] After an investigation into the matter, on April 22, the Vladivostok government announced that it would assume ownership over the monument and take charge of its maintenance.

[31] A monument to An Jung-geun used to exist in the city, but was relocated to the Ussuriysk Korean Cultural Center.

[32][19] It was restored in 2017 amidst renewed interest after the visit of South Korean president Moon Jae-in.