Final answer:
Korean American entrepreneurs often employ immigrants from other groups, like the Vietnamese, primarily in businesses catering to the African-American community. The influx of Asian immigrants, sometimes as political refugees or skilled workers, influences the labor market and wages within certain sectors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Korean American entrepreneurs in the United States have been known to provide employment opportunities for other immigrant groups, specifically the Vietnamese, as well as various other Asian immigrants. It is an interesting aspect of the economic landscape as these interactions are shaped by historical, cultural, and policy-driven factors. For instance, Korean-Americans have come to own almost all the stores that sell hair-care products designed for the African-American market, a result of trade policies adopted by the US and South Korea that favored Korean wig manufacturers. These businesses often employ immigrants who may face barriers entering other sectors due to language or lack of qualifications.
The Vietnamese immigrant group, in particular, began arriving in the United States in large numbers post-1975, following the fall of Saigon. Many Vietnamese came as political refugees and were aided by the Refugee Act of 1980 to settle in the US. This community, alongside other immigrants, often fills roles in unskilled labor markets such as restaurant and janitorial work, which shifted the supply of unskilled labor and affected wage levels.
This economic integration highlights the diverse experiences of Asian Americans who represent a significant portion of the population, with the latest estimate suggesting that about 5.9 percent identify themselves as Asian. Within this demographic, there is a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds, with some recent immigrants lacking high school diplomas and others, especially those sponsored by employers, having high levels of education and skill.