• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.154-171
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• 2006

By comparing to Chinese American banks, this research shows the uniqueness of Korean American banks. This article argues that instead of the cultural attributes and/or informal financial institutions, formal financial institutions, such as the ethnic banks studied here, are responsible for the business success of Asians abroad. However, ethnic banks have different development trajectories depending on their respective ethnic communities. Korean American banks are notably different from Chinese American banks in terms of growth, profitability, and banking strategies. Although both ethnic banks exercise relationship banking strategies in their loan portfolios, their deposit compositions are very different and cause significant differences in financial performance. The focus on business loans and high rates of non-interest deposits allow for higher growth rates in Korean American banks. Therefore, relationship banking does not adequately explain the differences of ethnic banks. This research attempts to understand the underlying factors in choosing banking strategies by mainly focusing on the unique examples found in Korean and Chinese immigrant societies. For Chinese Americans, the heterogeneity of their population composition and foreign influence dominate their bank structures. On the other hand, Korean American homogeneity and business orientation are distinctly different. The influence of Korean capital is not significant when compared to overseas Chinese capital.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.754-768
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to analyze how financial and commercial space in Jeonju had changed after Japanese rule. The biggest local bank was located near the Chungangdong post office in Taisyoudoori and the other bank facilities were located near the Jeonrabuk-do provincial office and Nammun market. Periodic markets and permanent stores were major commercial activities in Jeonju. Many stores and commercial companies established by many Chosun merchants near Nammun markets. Chosun commercial companies were superior to Japanese commercial companies in both number and capital scale. Japanese commercial companies were concentrated on Taisyoudoori(Jungang Road). Commercial activities in Jeonju were segregated by ethnic group. Financial and commercial activities were concentrated on Taisyoudoori and Ekimaedoori(Nammun Road).

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.601-615
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• 2007

Many Korean migrants in Japan have established small businesses using their ethnic networks as they were discriminated and excluded from Japanese society and labour market. The aim of this study is to explore the changes in characteristics of Korean migrants' businesses by generation, focusing on the role of co-ethnic relationships including ethnic networks and resources on their businesses. This study analyzed Korean migrants' dependence of the ethnic resources to understand the relationship between the ethnic. When Koreans first moved to Japan, laborers amounted the most, but the number of the professionals and the small business owners has increased gradually. This change was influenced by the change of generation and the improvement of education, as well as recognition of Japanese society and the change of policies toward Korean migrants in Japan. In early times when the number of small business owners started to increase, many cases such as a business, an employment, the use of Korean banks used to depend on ethnic resources. Also there were many businesses of which main customers were Koreans. However, the dependence of the ethnic resources has become diverse as the structure of the occupation has changed. The maintenance or exclusion of co-ethnic relationship depends on the structure of society and economy, and its result affect the relationship between Korean migrants in Japan and Japanese.