Historical Context: Korea and the Philippines in 1973

Korea and the Philippines in 1973

The political climates in both Jane’s and Luna’s home countries are quite fraught at the time of the play. Korea and the Philippines were experiencing much turmoil and change in the early 1970s and the years preceding.

Korea

At the end of World War II, Japanese occupation of Korea ended. The Soviet Union occupied the area north of the 38th parallel and U.S. troops were in the south. A few years after the conclusion of the war, the Republic of Korea was established (1948). In 1950, South Korea declared independence, prompting an invasion by North Korea. The Korean War lasted until 1953 and devastated the country with over 2 million casualties; an Armistice was signed in July of 1953.

In 1960, student protests against election fraud led to the resignation of President Syngman Ree, and a new constitution formed the Second Republic. Political freedom in Korea remained limited and in 1961, a military coup put General Park Chung-hee in power. General Park restored some of the political freedoms for Koreans and a rapid period of industrialization began.

Park maintained power throughout the 1960s and in 1972 declared martial law, changing the constitution and giving himself a broader range of power. During U.S. President Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972, he said that the U.S. would help to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula and promote exchanges between the two countries. In response, Park’s administration began secret meetings with North Korea and both sides hoped for dialogue about reunification. On July 4, 1972, both governments made a public statement providing guidance for reunification. Unfortunately, the extremely different ideological and political viewpoints of the two countries and reescalating aggression from North Korea made the talks less than fruitful.

Political unrest in South Korea increased after the kidnapping in August of 1973 of Kim Dae-Jung by agents of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Kim had been conducting an anti-government campaign in the U.S. and Japan and was considered a threat to Park’s regime.

The then-opposition politician Kim Dae-jung talks to reporters after he was rescued from being kidnapped by the then-authoritarian regime in Seoul in this 1973 file photo. Photo credit: Korea Times.

1924

The Immigration Act of 1924 limits the number of immigrants using nationality quotas. The law limits visas to two percent of the total number of people of each nationality according to the 1890 Census. Great Britain, Ireland, and Germany account for 70% of all available visas. The Act excludes all immigrants from Asia except the Philippines.

1942

Labor shortages lead to the passing of the Bracero Program, which allows Mexican agricultural workers to enter the country temporarily for work. Cuban refugees arrive in Key West during the Mariel boatlift, 1980. Photo credit: Britannica.com.

1952

The McCarranWalters Act formally ends the exclusion of Asian immigrants.

1960 - 1962

Operation Peter Pan brings roughly 14,000 unaccompanied children from Cuba to the U.S. to escape the Castro regime.

April - October 1980

Roughly 125,000 Cubans face a treacherous crossing during the Mariel boatlift to seek political asylum.

2001

Senators Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch propose the first DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children (Dreamers). The law and its subsequent iterations fail to pass.

1924

In response to the new restrictions, illegal immigration increases. The U.S. Border Patrol is established.

1948

The first refugee and resettlement law is passed in response to the influx of refugees from World War II.

1956 - 1957

Over 38,000 refugees from Hungary are part of the first Cold War era resettlement.

1965

The Hart-Celler Act is passed (See more in the expanded article on page 8)

1986

The Simpson-Mazzoli Act is passed which grants amnesty to over 3 million undocumented immigrants.

2001

The U.S. Patriot Act is passed in response to 9/11. The act reduces the rights of immigrants by expanding deportation powers and allowing for detainment without cause or due process.