KACP releases the 2019 Korean American Community Survey Report

December 23, 2019

Survey Report collected community members’ voices on pressing issues and needed services. Lack of information and language barrier, two largest barrier to voting for Korean Americans in Greater Philadelphia 

Korean Americans for Civic Participation (KACP) released the 2019 Korean American Community Survey Report for the Korean American community in Greater Philadelphia. The survey was conducted from mid-August to mid-September in Korean markets, Korean social service agencies and other Korean American community events. It uncovers the types of social services the community needs and the issues that community members view as most pressing. In total, 338 Korean Americans participated in the survey. 

Montgomery County residents (54%) and Philadelphia County residents (25%) comprised the majority of the respondents. By age, those in their 40s took up 22%, followed by those in 70s (17%), 50s (14%) and 60s (13%). By language, 84% answered Korean as their first language, while 16% responded English as their first language. 

The top issue for Korean Amerians is gun control (62%) followed by healthcare access (47%) and immigrant rights (34%). By comparison, the types of services the community demand split more even among the different choices: roughly equal percentages (39% - 43%) desire more immigration counseling, youth education, and language access, followed by affordable housing (26%) and culture and arts program (25%). Lack of information, lack of interest, and language barrier roughly tied as the main barriers to voting. 

The Report also presents data isolated for Montgomery County, since respondents from the county represented a significant portion (54%) of total respondents, and  also because the largest Korean American population lives in the county among the five counties in Greater Philadelphia. Survey respondents from Montgomery County responded similarly to overall responses in terms of the pressing issues and needed services. The majority of Montgomery respondents (56%), however, chose lack of information as the biggest barrier to voting.  

The Survey Report is meaningful in that it reflects voices of community members that had rarely been heard before, thus helping us better understand the Korean community in the area. Based on the Report, KACP is now building its civic engagement plan for 2020, when the community members should participate in the census and the Presidential election.   For more information: KACP, 267-645-9654, mel@kacp-philly.org.