Cultural and economic boundaries of Korean ethnicity: A comparative analysis

This article explains Korean immigrants' ethnicity in the United States, focusing on their cultural homogeneity and economic concentration. Korean immigrants are a culturally homogeneous group in terms of a common language, a set of common customs and values, and a commonality in historical experiences. This cultural homogeneity and lack of subgroup differences provide a cultural basis of Korean ethnicity. Moreover, the vast majority of Korean immigrant families are affiliated with Korean immigrant churches, which facilitates Koreans' fellowship and retention of the Korean cultural tradition. In addition, Korean immigrants concentrate in a limited range of small businesses,' and this occupational segregation provides an economic basis of Korean ethnicity.