From Sea to Shining Sea: The Third Wave of Korean American Immigration
From Sea to Shining Sea is a KAYAT blog series that follows the three major waves of Korean American immigration.
1965-early 1980s
March 1984. A small airplane labeled “Korea Air” lands on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport. Among the passengers is a young girl eager to reunite with her father, a family searching for a fresh start, and a young man seeking odd jobs to bring his wife and children to America. This plane provides a small cross-section of the third wave of Korean-American immigration to America, which lasted from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.
On October 3rd, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, in front of New York City’s Statue of Liberty. Opening the gateway to America, this act abolished the immigration quotas based on race, ethnicity, and national origin, allowing immigration from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. The Hart-Celler Act prioritized family reunification and recruitment of skilled professionals, marking the beginning of the third wave. These more lenient visa requirements, along with Korea’s high unemployment rates, political insecurity, and military dictatorship, caused a mass exodus of Koreans to the United States. Through the sponsorship of family in America and job quotas for specialized professions, more Koreans were able to begin new lives in the United States. Due to these factors, the number of Korean-American immigrants grew exponentially from 11,200 in 1960 to 38,700 in 1970. By 2000, the Korean population reached over 800,000.
Unlike previous waves, which held more individual or student immigrants, many third-wave Korean Americans had spouses and children. Because of the pressing need to provide for their families, these immigrants were often unable to pursue advanced education. Although many third-wave Koreans had white-collar degrees and careers, their previous educational and professional experience was rejected in America, primarily due to a lack of proficiency in English. Consequently, former doctors, lawyers, academics, and professionals turned into blue-collar laborers and entrepreneurs, often working as handymen and vendors.
Sugar plantation laborers, war refugees, academic scholars, and young families. The diverse stories in the three waves of Korean-American immigration span across the 20th century and into today. The legacy of these immigrants endures in Korean-American communities and identities across the nation, making waves in the course of American history.
