Spatial concentrations of Korean Chinese and determinants of their residential location choices in Seoul

Abstract

This paper investigates residential location patterns of the Korean Chinese community and their reasons for choosing their current residential location, using quantitative and qualitative methods. There are several findings, from this empirical research, worth noting. First, and most importantly, Korean Chinese residents have a high tendency to settle in already established Korean Chinese communities, and to reside away from Chinese and other ethnic communities. This provides empirical evidence of a spatial concentration and segregation of the Korean Chinese community. The survey results also support this finding, showing that Korean Chinese residents are likely to live close to their friends and relatives who already live in Seoul. Second, both the regression analysis and questionnaires demonstrated that the residential locations of Korean Chinese communities are mostly affected by housing factors such as cheap rent and the availability of multi-family and rental housing, as well as by accessibility of jobs and urban services. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.