Is there a significant low-wage worker population in the Korean community?
There is nearly a half million Korean residing in and around Los Angeles County. According to the 1990 Census, 25% of the Korean community are involved in small businesses. KIWAs experience indicates that nearly 30% of the Korean community are low-wage workers. Lack of jobs, language barriers, and discrimination force many Korean immigrants to turn to the ethnic enclave economy of Koreatown for employment where competitive low-paying industries, like garment and service, tend to prevail. Poverty in Koreatown is perpetuated by sub-standard wages and working conditions of the small business sector. In addition to Koreans, approximately 30% of Koreatowns labor force is low-wage Latino/as. There is also a growing number of Korean ethnic workers from China.
