When Territoriality Blocks Progress

• We must discard petty authoritarianism and honestly acknowledge the changed ecosystem of immigration.
• Earlier immigrants must serve as 'Guides' rather than act as 'Masters.'
• It is urgent to tear down the threshold of territoriality and build an open system that infuses new blood into the community.

Centered in North America but visible all over the world, the resilience and potential of our Korean diaspora community are truly remarkable. The tenacity of starting from scratch to build businesses and raise children into leaders of mainstream society is a well-deserved source of pride for the "Korean Diaspora." However, where the light is strong, the shadow is dark. Today, we must address this shadow: the shameful, hidden face within our community known as teotse (territoriality or gatekeeping). This is not just a problem in one city's community; it is a chronic illness shared by Korean communities worldwide, including those in Los Angeles and New York.

In the immigrant society, "those who came first" were themselves textbooks and guides for survival. The language barriers, racial discrimination, and physical exhaustion endured by the senior immigrants of the 70s and 80s rightfully serve as badges of honor. It is an undeniable fact that junior immigrants were able to settle down more easily upon the foundation they laid. However, the moment that respected "senior" position devolves into a vested interest group that surveils, lectures, and excludes new immigrants, the health of the community collapses.

There is a commonly witnessed scene. When a newly arrived immigrant presents a new business idea or tries to participate in group activities, instead of encouragement, they are met with dismissive remarks like, "It's different here than in Korea," or "You're just saying that because you don't know any better." Some even rank people by their years of residency and stigmatize or ostracize those who do not conform to their ways as "troublemakers." It is a bizarre structure where the number of years spent as an immigrant—so-called yeonjo (seniority by years)—becomes a badge of rank. This is not mentoring, which shares hard-earned know-how. It is closer to a cowardly act of "kicking away the ladder," cutting off the sprouts of potential competitors to maintain one's own influence. Why are we so closed off? To reflect on this, we need to look at the examples of other ethnic groups as a counter-lesson.

Let us look at the Jewish community in Canada. They view new immigrants not just as "people in need of help" but as "new blood that will make the community stronger." The Jewish Free Loan Toronto (JFLT) (formerly the Hebrew Free Loan Association) is a non-profit social welfare organization that has provided interest-free loans to the local Jewish community since 1924. Established lawyers, doctors, and businesspeople form mentoring groups to help new immigrants settle into mainstream society. For them, territoriality does not exist. Rather, they instinctively and strategically recognize that the influx of new Jewish immigrants expands their own political influence and economic pie. To them, arriving ten years earlier is not a form of power, but simply a duty to pull up the brothers and sisters who arrive later.

The solidarity of the Chinese immigrant community, especially those from Hong Kong and the mainland, is also highly suggestive. Looking at areas like Richmond in Vancouver or Markham in Toronto, they form massive commercial districts and continuously absorb new capital and manpower within them. Existing Chinese chambers of commerce and hometown associations encourage the capital of new immigrants to circulate within the community, actively utilizing the latest technology and networks they bring. Instead of acting territorial, they expanded their scale to build a massive economic bloc that transcends a traditional "Chinatown."

In contrast, what is our reality? Are we properly embracing the new 30- and 40-something immigrants who arrive with excellent careers from Korea, significant assets, and fluent English? Unfortunately, in many cases, they do not cross the thresholds of Korean associations or existing organizations. Or rather, they cannot. Perhaps they turn away, sick of the stuffy protocols, undemocratic decision-making structures, and the kkondae (condescending boomer) culture that always starts with, "Back in my day..." What is even more serious is the negative impact this territoriality has on the 1.5 and 2nd generations. One of the main reasons capable next-generation Koreans, educated in Canada and advancing into mainstream society, avoid Korean community activities is precisely this suffocating hierarchy. Even if young lawyers, accountants, and artists want to contribute to the Korean community, they are frustrated by the invisible barriers set up by the elders who hold vested interests. Ultimately, they leave the Korean community and scatter into mainstream society. This is a clear brain drain and an act of self-harm that eats away at the future of the diaspora community. Things must change now. We need concrete alternatives to cast off the old coat of territoriality and move toward an "open immigrant society."

First, a massive shift in mindset is necessary. Earlier immigrants must be "Guides" rather than "Masters." It is a virtue to ensure that juniors do not suffer the hardships one has experienced; a compensation mentality of "I suffered, so you should too" is a form of violence. The immigration trend since the 2000s has diversified from survival-driven immigration to investment, professional, and post-graduation immigration. Senior immigrants should not try to judge new immigrants by their own standards, but must respect the new perspectives and expertise they bring.

Second, we need integration through systems. Like the Jewish community, we must institutionalize practical funds or mentoring programs to support the settlement of new immigrants. This should not simply be an occasion to buy someone a meal and lecture them. We must create a virtuous cycle through networks subdivided by profession and age, where new immigrants receive practical help and then give back that gratitude to the community.

Third, I want to emphasize the importance of keeping records. Like-minded community members have long advocated for the establishment of a "Cyber Museum of Korean Canadian Immigration History" to properly record the history of Koreans in Canada. This is not simply about reminiscing about the past. By objectively recording and sharing the history of immigration, we prevent specific individuals or organizations from privatizing and weaponizing history. Before fair and accessible historical records, a 10-year immigrant and a 1-year immigrant become equal members of history. Both histories of failure and success must be transparently disclosed so that new immigrants can reduce trial and error and design a better future.

Fourth, we call for the attention of policy authorities and researchers. The Overseas Koreans Agency and related institutions must not stop at simply holding a few meetings with heads of Korean associations. Anthropological and sociological research must precede to understand how the local culture of territoriality hinders the combination of human resources and why competent Korean talents are leaving the Korean community. Based on this, it is time to consider policy interventions, such as providing incentives to organizations that foster a healthy community culture.

Today, Canada and the entire world are giant melting pots where diverse cultures coexist and continuously fuse. If we build walls among ourselves and act territorial in this environment, we are effectively locking ourselves in a "ghetto." We must discard the hypocrisy of claiming to respect diversity while being exclusionary toward our own compatriots. We all know how much strength a warm word of comfort—delivered through videos, music, voices, or a single line in an article by diverse emerging community media—can provide in an unfamiliar land. What new immigrants need is not a strict censor, but a warm neighbor. If we want our children and descendants to proudly say, "The Korean community is a truly rational and warm place," our generation must consign the word "territoriality" to the museum as a relic of the past.

It is the way of nature that the new waves of the Yangtze River push the old waves forward. If the old waves try to block the new ones, the water stagnates and overflows. Like flowing water, the senior generation must pave the way for the junior generation, and the junior generation must acknowledge the hard work of the senior generation as they move out to the sea together. That is the true wisdom of the diaspora and the only way we will survive as a respected people in this land. Today, are you, who take pride in your years of immigration, an establishment figure enforcing territoriality, or a senior extending a helping hand? It is time to ask and answer yourself.