MinnesotahaslongbeenhometopeoplefromtheKoreanPeninsula--fromearlyarrivalsinthemid-twentiethcenturytotheirexpandingfamilynetworksaswellasstudentsandprofessionalsinthedecadesthatfollowed.AboutthirtythousandKoreansliveinMinnesotatoday,manyofthemfirst-generationimmigrants.ManymorearepartoftheKoreanadopteecommunity,itsmembersmorestronglyconnectedtoMinnesotathananyotherstate.InthisnewestadditiontothePeopleofMinnesotaseries,KoreansinMinnesotaintroducesreaderstothehistoryofKoreanimmigrationhere,includingsettlementpatternsandtheformationofreligiousandsocialcommunities.OrganizationsrangingfromtheKoreanAmericanAssociationofMinnesota--thecornerstoneofKoreanimmigrantsociety--totheKoreanServiceCenter,whichprovidessocialservicestoelderlyKoreans,toAKConnection,anetworkingallianceofadultadoptedKoreans,toeducationalgroupsandinstitutionsthatteachtheKoreanlanguageandculturehelptotellthestoriesofthisvariedgroup.AuthorSooh-RheeRyubuildsthenarrativethroughinterviewswithcommunitymembersandextensivearchivalwork.ApersonalaccountbyMrs.SoonJaLeetellsofarrivingin1953and,alongwithherhusband,helpingtobuildMinnesota’sKoreanAmericancommunity.
