According to multiple reports, Korean Americans are abandoning Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party due to concerns about inflation and the economy.
July 2024 Asian American Voter Survey Found Thirty-eight percent of Korean Americans living in the United States identify as Democrats, and 25 percent identify as Republicans. This marks a decline from the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey. Found Fifty-one percent of Korean Americans support the Democratic Party.
The survey also found that 57% of Korean Americans said employment and economic issues were “very important” when deciding how to vote, and 33% said they were “very important” issues. , 9% said it was “important.” “It's kind of important.”
Additionally, 58% of Korean Americans said the issue of inflation was important to them when deciding how to vote, and 32% said inflation was a “very important issue.” Eight percent of Korean Americans said the issue of inflation was “somewhat important.”
Korean Americans also expressed that housing costs are an important issue when voting, with 51% saying it was “very important,” 35% saying it was “very important,” and 10% saying it was “somewhat important.” 3% said it was “not that important”.
In another opinion poll, carried out According to a survey conducted by the University of Chicago NORC from September 3 to 9, 2024, 27% of Korean Americans supported Trump from April to May, and 35% supported Trump in September. expressed.
The poll also found that 49% of Korean Americans expressed support for President Joe Biden from April to May. dropped In July, 62% of voters withdrew from the presidential race, but in September, 62% expressed support for Kamala Harris.
Lee Sung-young, owner of a Korean barbecue restaurant in Georgia said politiko Prices have “increased tremendously,” he said, adding that he would “vote for Trump” in the next election.
“Ingredient prices have skyrocketed, with some items increasing by almost 80%,” Yong told the magazine.
Yong added that he was “disappointed with the economy under the Biden administration,” and though he was unfamiliar with “Harris' economic policy,” he doubted whether it would be the same as Biden's economic policy. admitted that.
The paper said the loss of Democratic support among Korean Americans could have an impact in voting states with large Korean American communities, such as Georgia.
politiko Although Georgia's Korean American community leans Democratic, the community is “characterized by its relative newness,” resulting in many Korean Americans “establishing their party loyalty.” It is reported that they have not.
Despite conventional wisdom that Asian Americans skew the Democratic Party, the best way to reduce the Korean American vote in Georgia and its large independent electorate is to recognize the community's history. is. It is characterized by being relatively new. Korean immigrants began moving to Gwinnett County en masse in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The majority of the population remains comprised of first-generation immigrants with limited English proficiency and deep ties to their home country. There is not much of a culture of robust citizen participation, let alone loyalty to an established party.
Several Korean-American employees and managers told the publication that the economy is a key issue, noting that “sales are down” and there are “fewer customers” than before.
While several Korean Americans voiced concerns about the economy, rising prices and declining sales, one person, Clara Lee, told the outlet that “President Trump's comments on immigration” were the reason she would not vote for him. spoke.
“When President Trump was in power, hidden racists were given an opportunity to start revealing themselves,” Lee told the outlet. “Then I started to think there would never be another candidate like him, especially since I'm in the minority.”
