Post-1965 Korean Immigrants and the Early Immigrants Comparison

Korean wives of the U.S servicemen faced various problems. Apparently, the presented women face a harsh reality after finding themselves in unfamiliar situations which expose their marriages to vulnerability. As a result, the presented union never lasts. One of the common problems is the inequality faced in the marriages (Cummings 69). Apparently, the cultural differences noted between the couples has played a significant role in determining the psychological well-being of the Korean women as well as their ability to adapt to the new life in the American society. The women married to the U.S servicemen end up facing stigmatization both from the American and Korean communities for having married foreigners. Those who travel to the United States find even difficult circumstances after they move to the new environment. For instance, the fact that there might be an anti-immigrant sentiment against her is higher. Additionally, racism against her also increases based on the fact that she is considered as a person of color. More so, it is highly likely that the immigrant in question might find herself lacking the proper job skills which she needs to take advantage of the favored chance for social mobility. At the end of the day, the Korean woman may end up working in areas such as a massage parlor, a bar or anywhere within the sex trade industry.

“Diaspora of Camptown: The Forgotten War’s Monstrous Family”

            The presented article, “Diaspora of Camptown: The Forgotten War’s Monstrous Family,” is associated with various strengths. For instance, the piece clearly outlines the difficulties of the life of the Koreans and their families after the war. For instance, the author revisits the salient memories of the members of the community during the war and the traumas they had to endure after the presented memories remained engraved within their minds for several years. Additionally, the piece comes in handy since it puts forth the experiences that the children of the survivors experienced during the presented time. According to Cho, “Many examples of cultural and knowledge production by diasporic Koreans treat questions of the lasting effects of the Korean War, its unresolved status, and the continued daily practices of U.S. militarism in South Korea” (Cho 309).

            The identified piece also has several strengths in that the information available has its basis on the real-life experiences of the veterans. Additionally, the author ensures that the information and the experiences outlined in the piece are related to the present life of the Koreans, thus creating a clear outlook of the experiences of the people prior and post the Korean War (Cho 309).

Question 2: Post-’65 Korean immigrants with the early immigrants Comparison

            Over 95% of the Korean Americans is composed of post-1965 immigrant as well as their children. The immigration of a large number of Korean immigrant into the United States since the 1960s was facilitated by the 1965 Immigration Act. The presented piece of legislation did away with the racist immigration law which provided people with a preference from the Northwestern European countries and provided them with an equal opportunity in all countries for immigration. During the pre-65 period, Northwestern Europeans were permitted to make their way into the United States in large numbers. During this time, they did not require U.S- bond migration based on the fact that their countries were not well off economically. Members of the rest of the world, especially the third world regions were greatly inclined to migrate to the U.S. However, the discriminatory law prohibited the presented movement during the presented time. It can be derived that human rights were increasingly being valued during the post-65 period. In support of this, Hong indicates that “With its fixation on and prioritization of “pain and suffering” in the present, human rights as a seemingly antipolitical, moral discourse evacuates historical context” (Hong 749). However, since the 1960s, the number of immigrants to the presented destination has continually increased since the 1960s. South Korea is regarded as one of the major source of countries of contemporary immigrants. At the beginning of 1965, the number of Korean immigrants gradually begun immigrating into the United States in large numbers. Factors such as the low standards of living and the lack of quality jobs are the factors which resulted to the influx in the number of Koreans into the presented destination.

            It is also a fact that in the past, the level of Korean immigration into the United States was driven by economic, political and military relations existing between the nations. The identified factors opened up after the restrictions existing on immigration into the U.S were lifted in 1965. However, after 1965, the population increased on a seven-fold with the value almost doubling in 1990. Considering the earlier waves noted prior to 1965, it is evident that most of the immigrants were majorly unskilled laborers and their families. The contemporary Korean immigration enhances the general level of socioeconomic standing. Recently, the Korean immigrant population has remained stagnant. The presented factor is driven by the notion that the political conditions and the economic outlook of the South Korea has increased significantly. As a result, fewer people are interested in the emigration process. Despite the fact that the Korean students represented the highest number of learners enrolling for learning in the institutions of higher learning in the U.S post-65 in comparison to before, the number significantly declined over the past few years.

Question 3 A: How LA’s Koreatown has re-developed in the aftermath of the civil unrest of 1992

            Several years later after the civil unrest aftermath noted in 1992, Korea town has developed re-developed in various ways. For instance, it is apparent that the Korean culture is increasingly finding its way into the Koreatown several years down the line. The presented factor is evident in electronics, skin care, food and media. Additionally, it is true that the Koreatown after 1992 is now dominated by “peace and quiet” unlike during the heights of the riot during the 1992 which foresaw more than 60 people murdered. Peace was regarded as a fundamental human right which the people were meant to have (Liem 123). The town became more accessible to the members of the public.

            After the riots, it is evident that the Korean Americans were prominently featured in media coverages, thus ensuring that they continued to gain recognition and visibility as members of a minority group. It is also a fact that the riots gave rise to a renewed sense of ethnic awareness and pride which was highly evident in the LA Korea town. The second-generation Korea Americans evident in the presented region began appreciating the close identity as well as the pain and suffering of the Korean immigrants. The members of the second generation could easily understand how their parents found it difficult to adjust to the American life. Apparently, they witnessed what happened to the stores which were owned by their parents and realized that they did not have any one to protect them.

            After the civil unrest, ethnic solidarity is also a common factor evident among the Korean Americans. Apparently, the second generation Korean American and the English-speaking Koreans moved into Koreatown as volunteers with an aim of helping victims after the riots came to an end. The older, younger and first-time generations showed their ability to set aside their differences for the first time with an aim of building the Korean American community. The presented members aided in active process of rebuilding the community, therefore, enhancing the level of awareness and solidarity among the Korean community.

Question 3 B: The role of Koreatown in relation to Southern California’s Korean American community

            Koreatown plays a significant role in creation of a business area for the Korea-Americans. Additionally, it also established a residential area for the identified members of the population. Considering the 195,000 Koreans available in the County of Los Angeles, approximately 60% of them are considered to be living outside of the Koreatown area. However, the majority of the population available in the Koreatown are not of the Korea-American cultural group. The Koreatown population is composed of approximately a third of the available residents in the region. Over 50 percent are Hispanics with the remaining being composed of African-Americans Europeans. Koreatown is majorly dominated by Hispanics available in the population with Korean-American being majorly dominant in the field of commerce while the African-Americans and the Latinos being majorly evident in politics.

            Koreatown also acts as a transnational border. To the Korea-Americans and the Koreans, Koreatown is a representation of the Korean-American identity. For the new immigrants, Koreatown serves as an area of comfort in that are not faced with hardships such as cultural and language barriers within their new American life. Their life in the presented region is similar to that of Korea in that they can speak Korea and even consume their cultural foods. Despite this, it still a commonality that some Korea-American who have assimilated into the American life make efforts of escaping into other areas such as Irvine of Santa Monica. As a result, Koreatown is considered as a temporal location in that the more the members of the presented population become Americanized, they choose to assimilate the American life.

Question 4 A

            The major theme of the documentary, First Person Plural, outlines the issue of racism faced by Koreans in a new cultural community. Through the presented documentary, it is possible to understand the major occurrences before the Korean War and the foreign cultural values adoptions which took place at the time. Additionally, is also possible to have a major understanding of the major changes after the war. Apparently, the documentary shows that a huge number of Korean children were supplied to different countries across the globe. The presented factor means that they had to grow up in different countries other than that of their original place of birth. In such destination, they faced difficulties such as stigmatization and racism since they were considered as people of color.

Works Cited

Cho, Grace M. "Diaspora of Camptown: The Forgotten War's Monstrous Family." Women's Studies Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 1/2, Spring/Summer2006, pp. 309-331.

Cummings. Bruce. “Getting North Korea Wrong.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

2015, Vol. 71, no 4, pp. 64–76.

Hong, Christine. “Manufacturing Dissidence: Arts and Letters of North Korea’s “Second Culture,”” Positions: East Asia Cultures Critique, Volume 23, No. 4, Fall 2015, pp. 743-784

Liem, Paul. “Peace as a North Korean Human Right”. Critical Asian Studies, Volume 46, No. 1, 2014, pp.113-126