Korean American Immigration History: A story for everyone

With the Chosun King Kojong’s approval and through Yoominwon (Immigrant Recruiting Agency) 121 applicants for labor emigration to Hawaii were recruited from across the country. Following a physical examination at Port Nagasaki, Japan, 19 of these applicants were deemed unfit for travel.

On December 2, 1902, the remaining 102 applicants left Chemulpo (present day Incheon) for the U.S. aboard the S.S. Gaelic, an American Trans-Pacific steamship. The first group of these pioneer immigrants arrived in Port Honolulu, Hawaii on January 13, 1903, with labor immigration continuing until 1905. During this period, a total of 7,415 Koreans migrated to Hawaii. Consisting of Christians, exchange students, farmhands, and others, they were dispersed across Hawaii's 5 islands—primarily on sugarcane fields and pineapple farms—to build their new lives here through manual labor.

In 1905, Korean immigrant and activist Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho founded the first Koreatown in the United States. Over the next eight years, Pachappa Camp in Riverside, California became the home of approximately 300 Korean American men, women, and children. Most of the adult residents were agricultural laborers who worked on citrus and other fruit farms in nearby towns. In addition to its approximately 20 single-story, wood-frame dwellings, Pachappa Camp had language schools, a community center, and a Presbyterian Church. Its residents enjoyed a lively social and political life until the Great Citrus Freeze of 1913, when families began moving to other California agricultural communities. By 1918, Pachappa Camp was no more. However, its legacy lives on.

On April 14, 1919, in response to the 3.1 Independence Movement in Korea, Jae-pil Seo, along with Syngman Rhee and Han-kyung Chung, gathered with national leaders and 150 Korean Americans in what they coined “The First Korean Congress.” Lasting 3 days, this gathering has been referred to as the March First Independence Movement in the U.S. The Congress finished with a march through the streets, a demonstration that was supported by the city of Philadelphia, cheered on by 100 Korean independence supporters, and accompanied by a marching band. The group stopped once they reached the Hall of Independence, where they read the Declaration of Independence that was later unveiled in Seoul.

The first recorded history of a Korean American community in New York is April 18, 1921, when the Korean American Church in New York was established, becoming the center of the Korean American community in New York. The church began with the financial support of the American Methodist Church. In 1927, the church moved from its borrowed space (an American church on 21st street) to their very own space on 115th street. Their English name, “The Korean Church and Institute” communicated the mission of the church to serve as both a venue for practicing faith, as well as a center for the provision of services for Korean Americans; through the days both before and after liberation, the church was a sacred place for Koreanswho had lost their country to regain a sense of belonging. The building itself was also used as a space for various rallies and temporary shelter for student councils, volunteer organizations, and more.

While the Korean church was being established, the North American Korean Students’ Congress, a collective of Korean students in the U.S., was founded in New York to promote friendship and unity among students. On April 30, 1921, this Congress established itself at Manhattan International House. An annual meeting was held in early June of every year led by Yong-jik Lee and Byung-ok Cho—their elected president and vice president, respectively—to discuss domestic and foreign issues, as well as to encourage one another. They published “The Korean Student Bulletin” and other similar articles to preserve their Korean culture and morale while living abroad.

After receiving his Doctorate from Princeton University in 1910 and leading the First Korean Congress with Jaepil Seo in 1919, Syngman Rhee headed to Washington where he established the Korean Commission to America and Europe and was appointed acting president of the provincial government of Korea.

On August 29, 1942, Syngman Rhee featured on the first ever broadcast of radio show Voice of America to give Syngman Rhee addressing compatriots through Voice of America (multiple times) his speech titled “Informing our 20 million Compatriots.” He began with, “lam Syngman Rhee. | am addressing our 20 million compatriots across the country and scattered abroad.” Day-by-day he brought news of the Pacific War, telling even the news that was unfavorable to Japan and thus imbuing his listeners everywhere with the Spirit of Independence. After Korea's independence, he was flown back to Korea aboard a U.S. military aircraft where he eventually became South Korea's first president.

On the dawn of June 25th, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel. That same day at 2 p.m., an emergency draft was issued by the UN Security Council at President Truman's urging, resulting in UN forces joining the Korean War. The battle began with the deployment of the first unit of the U.S. military, Task Force Smith, to the Battle of Osan. The infantry was severely under-equipped and under- prepared. Until the War's ceasefire on July 27th, 1973, a total of 263 units were deployed, including 7 infantry divisions, 1 cavalry division, 1 marine division, the Far East Fleet, the U.S. 7th Fleet, and 66 units of the Far East Air force. Within a 3- year span the UN forces recorded 37,902 deaths, of which 33,686 were Americans.

In the early 1960s, Korean taekwondo arrived in Manhattan, New York. Some consider this asthe beginning of the so-called “Korean wave” (Hallyu). Following Si-hak Cho, founder of the “Henry Cho Institute" on 27th street in 1961, In-mun Chun opened “Richard Chun Taekwondo Center’ on 77th street in 1962. In the late 1960s, Duk-sung Sohn and Hyun-ok Shin opened their martial art studios and further introduced Korean taekwondo to Americans. Numerous taekwondo masters who came to the U.S. during the 1970s and 80s also seized the opportunity. With their presence, Korean taekwondo surpassed the popularity of Japanese karate and Chinese kung fu. The pioneering work of these masters contributed to the adoption of taekwondo as an official Olympic event.

In response to the 4.19 Student Revolution in Korea, New York Koreans gathered in front of the UN Headquarters in New York to demonstrate their support of the students fighting for democracy in Korea. This event served as the catalyst for the formation of the Korean American Association of New York, which started out meeting in a Korean church. President Sangbok Seon believed it was time for Korean Americans to begin demonstrating their strength in solidarity with one another. They declared this as the purpose alongside celebrating the birth of a democratic government in Korea as well as harmonizing the community. A pivotal moment for the Korean American community in New York was the1983 purchase of a community building through fundraising by then president of KAAGNY, Ikjo Kang.