現在 美國에 居住하고 있는 韓國系 美國人들은 約 250萬餘 名에 達하며 美國으로의 韓人移住 歷史는 올해로 116年을 맞이하였다. 現在까지 韓國系 美國人들을 稱하는 用語로 ‘Korean American’이 使用되어 왔으나 美國 韓人社會의 世代交叉, 1世와 2歲의 他人種/民族과의 婚姻으로 因한 混血兒들의 增加, 入養人들과 3歲 以上의 韓人들의 增加 等의 原因으로 ‘Korean American’은 人種/民族的으로, 世代的으로 多樣化되어가고 있는 趨勢이다. 따라서 본 硏究에서는 ‘Korean American’이 생각하고 있는 用語의 正義 및 內包에 對한 考察이 必要하다고 생각하여 이들을 對象으로 인터뷰 및 設問을 使用하여 用語의 正義 및 內包를 歸納法的으로 探索해보았다. 이러한 槪念에 對한 定義는 追後 韓國系 美國人 關聯 硏究뿐 아니라 在外同胞政策에 있어서도 基礎資料로 使用될 수 있을 것으로 思料된다.
The year 2019 marks the 116th year since the first group of Koreans immigrated to the United States. Today, there are approximately 2.5 million Korean Americans living in America. The term “Korean American” has been used to refer to Koreans living in America, yet, as the group reaches its 3rd generation, Korean American adoptees and multi-racial Korean Americans are on the rise as result of an increase in inter-racial marriage among 1.5 and 2nd generation Korean Americans. Therefore, there is a need to re-examine the current definition of the term, Korean American. The current study examines how those who identify as Korean American make meaning of the term, and whom they consider to be included in the definition. Findings of in-depth interviews and a survey suggests that understanding of the term remains relatively narrow, and that the scope needs to be further expanded to include Korean American adoptees, the 3rd generation and above, multi-racial Korean Americans, and others. Implication and future studies are suggested.