The Korean American Institute is working with a team of academic research experts to conduct a national survey of Korean Americans to ascertain their demographic backgrounds, lived experiences, societal needs, and viewpoints on issues of importance in American society today.
As noted in this press release, the title of this project is “Commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Korean America: Current State, Future Directions.”
The goal is to generate the most insightful, comprehensive, and up to date information about Korean Americans across the nation, so that decision makers in various influential sectors can learn more about this growing ethnic group and take appropriate action.
“Korean Americans remain underrepresented in many aspects of American life, despite their deep historical roots in the United States and their standing as the fifth-largest Asian American group. As Korea and Korean culture gain greater public recognition, gaps in national data on Korean America make clear the urgent need for updated information to ensure that rising visibility leads to more responsive and equitable policies and institutions.”
Angie Y. Chung, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
U.S.-Korea Fulbright Scholar
University at Albany, New York
This survey is an historic and unprecedented project targeting the largest representative oversample of Korean Americans ever undertaken by a research project. It seeks responses from approximately 1,500 individuals through phone calls and online outreach.
Participants will be recruited through reputable survey panel vendors using demographic quotas designed to ensure diversity and representation, including region, gender, age group, education, employment, language, generation, family composition, and migration history.
Selected participants must be 18 years or older and have at least one biological Korean parent and may be contacted by email or phone. Participation is voluntary and they can participate anonymously. All survey responses, including phone numbers, will be detached from any identifiable name or contact information.
Following strict academic standards, only members of the research team will have access to the data, which will be reported in aggregate with no identifying or traceable information for future conference papers, journal or book publications, or public and media presentations.
The questionnaire process will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, and includes questions on areas of interest to decision makers, including health and wellbeing, economic and social mobility, identity formation, racial attitudes, and civic engagement.
Academic Research Team
This groundbreaking project was planned for several months by a team of experienced scholars and industry professionals, with input from various Korean American community leaders.
Survey Research Firm
The survey implementation is managed by BSP Research, with over 20 years of research experience and cultural competence in understanding the demographic changes occurring in the United States.
BSP Research recently worked with over 150 academic researchers to contact more than 4,000 Asian Americans as part of the 2024 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey.
Funding Sources
The Korean American Institute is providing the funding for the approximately $250,000 in total budget expended over two years.
Of this total amount, $60,000 in matching grants were contributed by the Korean American Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Southern California, and dedicated to raising and stewarding charitable funds and inspiring a culture of giving for the Korean American community.
More Information
Federal regulations (45 CFR 46) require research involving human participants to be carried out under the oversight of an Institutional Review Board (IRB). This project, “Commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Korean America: Current State, Future Directions,” has been reviewed and approved by the IRB at San Diego State University (IRB-25-0358).
If you have specific questions about the IRB or your rights as a research participant, please contact the San Diego State University Human Research Protection Program at 619-594-6622 or email IRB@sdsu.edu. If you have questions about the survey itself, please email KASurvey@ka.institute.