Mr. A., a former resident of Whitestone, New York, who had managed

Mr. A., a former resident of Whitestone, New York, who had managed a business in Flushing for over a decade, left the United States and returned to South Korea. He closed his business and left home no longer able to endure the long-term economic recession. He confronted huge financial burdens every month, paying thousands of dollars for rent and other overhead expenses. After long and difficult consideration, he finally decided to take his family and go back to Korea.

The trend of reverse migration has increased in the New York Korean community recently, largely as a result of the continued economic downturn. New York Koreans who have returned to Korea – or plan to – are not just the elderly, who want to live out the rest of their days in the country of their birth, but Korean businessmen, who see no other way than to give up their businesses.

Since 2010, the most outstanding aspect of this reverse migration is that it now includes Korean construction businessmen and workers, plumbers, electricians, and metal workers. Those going back are no longer the people who owned delis, restaurants, or vegetable stores – businesses largely dominated by Koreans in the NYC area – whose businesses closed during the past few years due to the poor and stagnant economy.

According to statements by experts in the N.Y. Korean construction business world, with the economic depression continuing for so long, the construction business has taken a direct blow, with contracts – and thus jobs for plumbers, electricians, metal workers, among others – rapidly dwindling. Added to this is the recent emergence of Chinese construction companies or businesses, some of which have been accused of price dumping, further weakening the Korean standing in the trade.

With business among Korean companies cut back on such a large scale, low-paid Chinese construction and other trade workers now seem to dominate the workforce, especially in Queens.

One Korean businessman said, “At the end of last year, two large Korean construction companies in Queens closed their doors. Maintaining even a small construction business costs at least $5,000 to $6,000 a month. But business has dropped by 80 percent. There is nothing left to live on.”

Reverse migration – the return to Korea – has accelerated annually in the Korean community. According to the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in 2009 alone, the number of reverse Korean migrants who held American green cards or citizenship was 2,058. This was the first time the number surpassed the 2,000 mark, since the year 2002. Immigration experts note that in addition to the first-generation Korean immigrants – the elderly, who return home to live out the rest of their years – the new figures represent business and trade workers, who can no longer shoulder the brunt of the long-term recession.

But the future for those who do return to Korea is not all bright. Many who leave America with hopeful hearts are disappointed when they arrive in Korea. In one case, Mr. Choi, who had closed a business in Queens that he had owned and operated for 15 years, came back from Korea in December 2010, after spending almost a year there.

“I had heard that the economic condition in Korea was better than America, and so I went back to Korea. It was very hard for me – a Korean – to re-assimilate into Korean society and to open a new business. Perhaps I’m too old. It was really beyond my strength. It was easier to come back to America, where I had been established,” said Choi.

“Due to the long-term economic recession, many people think of going back to Korea, but they should give this idea very careful deliberation. To overcome this ‘economic winter’, our businessmen should stand together and unite firmly by exchanging new ideas, technical tie-ins, and business information on our area,” commented a member of the New York Korean construction business.

By HeeEun Choi, The Korea Times, 7 January 2011. Translated from Korean by Sunyong Reinish.