Korean-American seniors in LA face more hardships than elsewhere, study finds

Korean-American seniors in the Los Angeles metro area face more financial and communication challenges than other minority communities nationwide.

The New York-based Korean American Community Foundation (KACF), with support from the Judith Ehm Foundation, Southpole Foundation, and the Asian American Federation, released the findings of a recent survey of 812 Korean-American seniors nationwide, “Toward Better Aging,” at the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles on May 15.

When asked about whether current income is enough to cover basic necessities, 39% of Korean-American seniors in the Los Angeles area responded yes, 29% said partially, and 33% said no. In Chicago, 49% of them said it is enough to cover basic needs, where did 53% in Texas, and 41% in the Washington, DC area. The federal poverty rate for all Asians aged 65 and older is 14.2%, while 23.2% of Koreans live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2021.

Language barriers were also worse in Los Angeles. The report said 81% of Korean-American seniors in the Los Angeles area have “limited English proficiency”, which is higher than the national rate (73%). A whopping 80.5% of Korean American seniors aged 65 and older in Los Angeles reported having limited English proficiency, compared to 59% of all Asians.

Housing costs were also a major concern, with 58% citing “rent costs” as an area where they feel inadequate, 10-20% higher than in other regions. This reflects the skyrocketing housing costs in California’s major metro areas.

“Korean American seniors are becoming more isolated economically and socially, and it’s time to take active steps to address this issue,” said KACF President Kyungbok Yoon. “These findings should serve as a starting point for organizations at all levels, academia, and the business community to pay attention and make efforts.”

The Korean American senior population according to 2020 Census data continues to expand, with the number of Koreans aged 50 and older nationwide increasing by 30% in the decade leading up to 2021, totaling 511,500, and those aged 65 and older increasing by 69% to 210,014. In the Los Angeles metro area, the number of people aged 50 and older grew 38% to 133,470 and those aged 65 and older grew 50% to 60,582 during the same period.

For more information on the survey, visit Asian American Federation.

BY BRIAN CHOI, HOONSIK WOO [ichoi@koreadaily.com]