This is the 18600th most frequent Korean word.
식민지로
"식민지로" means "as a colony" in English.
Here, "식민지로" is used to describe the state of the region being a colony.
그 지역은 한때 외국의 식민지로 있었다.
That region was once a colony under foreign rule.
In this sentence, "식민지로" refers to the starting point or origin context of the independence being achieved.
식민지로부터 독립을 쟁취했습니다.
They achieved independence from the colony.
"식민지로" here expresses the cause or origin of the conflicts.