“Since I immigrated to America ten years ago, the main focus of my life has been hard work. Now however, my life has become so difficult; I leave home each morning at 8 a.m., and spend the day searching for work. I cannot find work, and can only sigh with despair. (Mr. Kim, in his 50s, recently lost his job in a large supermarket).

“The company I work for is having financial trouble; I think I won’t have a job next month! I used to think that unemployment was someone else’s issue—not mine. But now, facing unemployment myself, I cannot face my wife, or look directly at my friends.” (Mr. Lee, in his 40s, works for a travel agency).

Recently, many Koreans in their 40s have been faced with a serious problem – rising unemployment. One worker in a Korean employment agency said, “The continuous, long-term economic depression is causing the worst employment problem of recent history, especially for the middle-aged workers who have lost their jobs; finding a job is like catching a falling star. This is also true for Korean workers in their 40s and 50s, who cannot speak English well—they are having an even tougher time finding employment.”

In the past, the sewing business has been extremely successful. Now, it is dying. Delis, groceries, shoe stores, laundries, dry cleaners, tailors—businesses which employ those without special skills - are all declining, losing business. Only the worry lines on the brows of the Korean employees are increasing.

The middle-aged make up the largest part of the Korean population, and workforce, especially in the New York area. Customarily, as the heads of their families, these are the ones who shoulder the responsibility for taking care for their families. But the increased unemployment among this central age group means that the Korean economy is rapidly becoming unstable.

The solution offered by Korean society for this growing and serious problem is the establishment of simple training programs in English or computer training, by employment agencies, and the introduction of the unemployed to agencies specifically involved in hiring unskilled workers.

The New York Korean Service Center vice-director, Mr. Shonshin, said, “Korean workers in their 40s and 50s who have become unemployed are facing a terrible time finding work again, because they have no special skills. They are finding mostly temporary employment. Pan-Korean Society must have a creative and long-term Korean employment program for these workers. This is urgent. If we delay in solving this problem, we will be faced with an even more serious issue later—one that will overshadow all others in Korean society.”