Soaring living costs push first-time and returning Korean voters to US midterms
SEATTLE — For Lee Min-ha, a 46-year-old Korean living near Seattle, eating out has become a luxury her household can no longer afford. "Everything has gotten so expensive that eating out is completely out of the question," Lee said. "I've been buying groceries almost exclusively on sale for quite some time now. Living in America is getting harder and harder, and every day I wonder how things got…
In Seattle, 46-year-old Korean resident Lee Min-ha has found eating out a luxury her family can no longer afford due to soaring living costs. She now purchases groceries almost exclusively on sale, as even casual Korean restaurant meals for a family of four can exceed $100, including taxes and tips. Lee's struggle mirrors the concerns of many Korean voters ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections on November 3.
According to the 2026 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Voter Survey, 86 percent of Korean American registered voters found inflation and the cost of living to be very or extremely important factors in their voting decisions, with 90 percent of all Asian American respondents expressing similar concerns.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
