Many Koreans Relocating to Smaller US Cities
By Jane Han
Korea Times Correspondent
NEW YORK - On the first day of every month, Kim Jung-sun finds herself dabbling with the idea of moving out to the suburbs. That's when rent is due for her $1,600-a-month one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan.
The single 28-year-old likes being close to everything downtown, including the big Korean district, but thinks the price that comes with the convenience is too high.
"I insisted on living in the middle of the action when I was new here," said Kim, who first moved to the U.S. five years ago to attend design school, "but not anymore since I'm familiar and comfortable with American life."
Now that she plans to settle in the U.S., Kim is starting to consider migrating to the cheaper suburbia - or even out of state.
Her relocation may seem like a hassle, but immigration consultant Lee Ji-oh says such a move isn't rare.
"New York and Los Angeles are the most popular initial destinations for Koreans, whether it be for immigrating or studying," said Lee, who runs JIS global, a New York-based agency providing migration services.
Familiarity draws people at first, he said, but once people get a feel for living in the U.S., they begin to look at alternative cities that offer cheaper living costs and more work opportunities.
In fact, a recent analysis by Min Pyong-gap, a professor at Queens College, shows a general geographical shift in Koreans' settlement in the U.S.
His study, which analyzed annual U.S. census reports, indicates that the Korean population in the top 10 biggest U.S. "gateway" cities, including New York and Los Angeles, has been on a steady decline since 2000.
During the same time, however, population in the mid to smaller cities - such as Dallas, Atlanta and Seattle - has been going up.
According to the report, 68.6 percent of Koreans living in the U.S. were concentrated in the top 10 gateway cities in 2000. But the figure dropped to 66.4 percent in 2008.
Min said several factors are driving Koreans out of the traditionally popular regions, but singled out financial burden as the foremost reason for relocation.
"Smaller cities require less living costs so the latest financial crisis is fanning more people to move," he said.
Nearly 98,000 Koreans lived in New York City in 2006, but the population fell to 84,000 in 2008, the report said. Meanwhile the number of Koreans living in Atlanta, Dallas and Seattle went up by 1 to 3 percent.
Min said the increased out-migration is leading to a magnet effect, where a newly growing Korean community draws even more Koreans.
Convenience also plays a role, says Jin Tae-yong, an immigration consultant at Naeil Iju, a migration consultancy with offices in Los Angeles and Seoul.
"Unlike the past, advanced telecommunication services and fast-spreading Korean grocery chains minimize people's inconveniences in smaller cities," he said, adding that Koreans spreading to diverse regions throughout the U.S. is a positive sign.
"The big cities have long been saturated with too many Koreans and Korean businesses," said Jin, explaining that settling in less established areas is likely to bring more opportunities.
재미동포들 탈도시화 가속
미국에 거주하는 재미동포들이 뉴욕, 로스앤젤러스 등 대도시를 벗어나 교외로 빠져나가는 탈도시화 움직임이 가속화되고 있다.
이는 이민 역사가 깊어가면서 임대료가 비싼 대도시 중심가를 떠나 보다 싼 지역을 찾아나서는 노력의 일환으로 보인다.
이 같은 변화의 근저에는 미국생활에 대한 익숙함이 자리잡고 있는데, 대도시 대신 저렴한 생활비와 더 많은 고용기회를 제공하는 대안도시가 떠오른 결과다.
맨하튼에 거주하는 김정선 (28)씨는 매달 초 월 1,600 달러의 임대료를 낼 때마다 외곽으로 빠져나갈 생각을 한다. 그녀는 ``이곳에 처음 왔을 때는 중심가에 살아야 한다고 생각했지만 이제 적응도 하고 미국생활이 편해져 더 이상 그렇게 할 필요가 없어졌다’’고 말했다.