By Jane Han
NEW YORK ― For Koreans in Korea, life goes on as usual, even as North Korea continues to crank up war tensions on the peninsula. Koreans in the United States have usually reacted likewise ― but not this time around.
With the nuclear renegade state stepping up its hair-raising threats almost daily, Koreans abroad are starting to take the situation more seriously. Many are worrying about their friends and family back at home, while some are more worried about themselves and go as far as canceling Seoul-bound flights.
''You never know,'' said Chee Hae-won, 36, who paid a $250 penalty for canceling her Korean Air flight scheduled for this weekend from Chicago. ''I planned to visit my parents but I asked them to come to the U.S. instead.''
Travel agencies say cancellation rates have been higher than usual, but the situation isn't at a ''serious level'' yet.
''Cancellations aren't our biggest concern at this point,'' says Kim Jae-myoung, an agent at a New York-based travel company. ''We should be getting bombarded with phone calls for spring and summer break reservations by now, but it's been abnormally quiet in recent days. People seem to be holding off their plans just in case.''
Koreans in the U.S., like the majority of people living in Korea, have typically been numb to North Korea's threats, but many are reacting differently this time largely because of the overall sentiment building in the U.S.
According to a CNN/ORC International poll released Monday, an all-time high number of Americans feel North Korea is an immediate threat to the U.S.
''If North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wanted to get the attention of the American public, his strategy is starting to work,'' says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. ''For the first time, Americans are pessimistic that the situation involving North Korea can be solved using only economic and diplomatic means.''
The survey showed that only 46 percent of the public feel that the crisis can be successfully resolved with diplomatic or economic means alone, while 51 percent responded otherwise.
Fanned by the growing worries, Koreans in the U.S. get in touch with their friends and family at home, only to be surprised at the level of people's indifference.
''I called to check on my grandmother in Korea, but the conversation ended with her soothing me that everything is going to be alright,'' says Lisa Chang, 32, a Seattle resident. ''I was glad to hear that she's fine, but it was almost interesting how nonchalant she was to the situation.''
Sohn Ji-min, 23, a New York University student studying abroad alone, said, ''Hopefully this will be just another one of North Korea's brinkmanship moves, but I'm no expert and latest news tells me that something might be different this time.''
NEW YORK ― For Koreans in Korea, life goes on as usual, even as North Korea continues to crank up war tensions on the peninsula. Koreans in the United States have usually reacted likewise ― but not this time around.
With the nuclear renegade state stepping up its hair-raising threats almost daily, Koreans abroad are starting to take the situation more seriously. Many are worrying about their friends and family back at home, while some are more worried about themselves and go as far as canceling Seoul-bound flights.
''You never know,'' said Chee Hae-won, 36, who paid a $250 penalty for canceling her Korean Air flight scheduled for this weekend from Chicago. ''I planned to visit my parents but I asked them to come to the U.S. instead.''
Travel agencies say cancellation rates have been higher than usual, but the situation isn't at a ''serious level'' yet.
''Cancellations aren't our biggest concern at this point,'' says Kim Jae-myoung, an agent at a New York-based travel company. ''We should be getting bombarded with phone calls for spring and summer break reservations by now, but it's been abnormally quiet in recent days. People seem to be holding off their plans just in case.''
Koreans in the U.S., like the majority of people living in Korea, have typically been numb to North Korea's threats, but many are reacting differently this time largely because of the overall sentiment building in the U.S.
According to a CNN/ORC International poll released Monday, an all-time high number of Americans feel North Korea is an immediate threat to the U.S.
''If North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wanted to get the attention of the American public, his strategy is starting to work,'' says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. ''For the first time, Americans are pessimistic that the situation involving North Korea can be solved using only economic and diplomatic means.''
The survey showed that only 46 percent of the public feel that the crisis can be successfully resolved with diplomatic or economic means alone, while 51 percent responded otherwise.
Fanned by the growing worries, Koreans in the U.S. get in touch with their friends and family at home, only to be surprised at the level of people's indifference.
''I called to check on my grandmother in Korea, but the conversation ended with her soothing me that everything is going to be alright,'' says Lisa Chang, 32, a Seattle resident. ''I was glad to hear that she's fine, but it was almost interesting how nonchalant she was to the situation.''
Sohn Ji-min, 23, a New York University student studying abroad alone, said, ''Hopefully this will be just another one of North Korea's brinkmanship moves, but I'm no expert and latest news tells me that something might be different this time.''
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