Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nautilus]

Looks like a useful read. Although it applies to Los Angeles, could also apply to here too.

Conflicts between African and Korean-Americans in Los Angeles

http://www.geocities.com/dgavre04/conflicts.html

African-American Complaints about Korean-Americans

1. Korean-Americans don't hire members of their community = Korean-American discriminatory hiring practices prevent blacks from obtaining jobs in their own neighborhoods
2. Korean-Americans receive special treatment through both governmental programs and low-interest bank loans = As a "priviledged" model minority, Asians receive unfair advantages
3. Korean-Americans are disrespectful to African-Americans = Storekeepers often follow blacks around their stores to make sure that nothing is stolen; change is placed on the counter instead of in the hand; eye contact or communication is rarely attempted
4. Korean-Americans are not active participants in the community = As Reverend Wilson, a prominent member of the black community stated, Koreans are "the latest of a series of ethnic groups that have come into our community, disrespected us, raped us economically, and moved out at our expense"; Korean-Americans are often absentee owners who may not even live in the community where their shops are located


Cultural and Structural Explanations for the Complaints

1. Korean-American prejudice = Because there is little to no racial diversity in Asia, Koreans often have no understanding of or experience with other racial or ethnic backgrounds; Often, Koreans have had bad experiences with the U.S. armed forces or have seen the negative stereotypes of blacks in the media, so their perceptions of African-Americans are skewed
2. Korean-American status anxiety = Due to the fact that Koreans often lost their upper or middle-class status that they enjoyed in Korea after immigrating to the United States, they often attempt to distance themselves from the poor in order to regain the higher status that was lost; Since African-Americans in the inner city--where Korean-Americans often set up stores--are often poor, Koreans try not to associate with them, thus causing tension
3. Cultural misunderstandings = Due to their culture, Korean-Americans can often seem rude by American standards: in their society, one is supposed to act reserved, submit to the male of the family, and not look others in the eye; Also, Korean-Americans' lack of fluency in English and loud speech patterns can be troublesome
4. African-Americans' negative experience with Jewish and Italian storekeepers = Blacks feel that other people always come into their community, make money, and then leave; Thus, they are wary of Korean-Americans doing the same thing
5. Feelings of powerlessness by blacks = Blacks are sometimes threatened by Asian-Americans; Blacks may not have as much education or resources to compete.