The State of Connecticut is rapidly emerging as the leading area for the relocation and new settlement of Korean-owned businesses. According to Mr. Kang, chairman of the Connecticut Korean Association, an estimated 2,000-plus Korean businesses moved to the state in the past two to three years; the Association calculates there are approximately 20,000 Koreans now living in Connecticut.

According to the 2000 Census, Connecticut had 7,064 Koreans, 8.7 percent of the total Asian population of 80,863. This represents a 40 percent increase from 1990. The Connecticut Korean Association’s numbers include undocumented Koreans as well as those who moved to the area after the Census was concluded.

Mr. Hae-naim Lee, chief administrative director of the Connecticut Korean Association, explained, “Ten years ago, no Korean-owned or Korean-managed business was registered in the state. Recently, however, typical Korean businesses, like cleaners, delis and nail salons, have begun to blossom and the expansion is continuing.”

The association puts the number of Korean-owned-and-run nail salons at 600, and dry cleaners at 400. The highest concentration of businesses is in Hartford, with New Haven, Stamford and Bridgeford following close behind.

Why are Korean businessmen so eager to open or relocate in Connecticut? Some real estate analysts note that Connecticut is not far from either Queens or northern New Jersey – the main Korean residential areas. They also note that the infrastructure is on the side of new business – Interstate 95 (I-95) passes through these areas of Connecticut; sites along I-95 have already shown commercial development in the past, and Korean businessmen can count on the same for the future. Thus, they will already be in place when an area develops around them.

Business expenses are quite high in New York City, and business is, while not quite cutthroat, certainly very competitive. In nearby Connecticut however, expenses are somewhat less; the fact that residential and commercial rents are lower than in New York, is a significant factor in the decision to move out of state.

Additionally, the number of Korean business owners who commute between Connecticut and New York is increasing. One Korean nail salon owner who moved his business last year from New York City to Stamford said that the trip by car takes about 40 minutes, so that going to the office in Connecticut and returning home to New York at the end of the business day was not a problem. He was also happy about the lower rents and business fees and the lack of business competition in Connecticut, compared with the overcrowded business conditions in New York.

Mr. Suk-joon Kim, president of Seoul Real Estate in Stamford, said, “the residential economy is developing at a rapid pace and Korean investments in joint residential and commercial complexes are also on the rise.” According to Kim, last month he received 40 to 50 phone calls concerning joint sites, an increase of 150 percent from last year. “These days,” he said, “we have no buildings on offer; there is a noticeable lack of supply, with an increasing demand.”