As the military conflict between the U.S. and Iran escalates into the Middle East, voices of concern regarding the aftermath of the war are emerging within the Korean community in the Washington area. Anxiety is growing across various sectors, including rising oil prices, inflation, a contraction in the travel industry, and worries about children serving in the military.
Concerns about economic burdens are appearing first. “I am worried because gas prices keep rising,” said Mr. A (a resident of Burke), an office worker in Annandale, Virginia. “When I left for work this morning, I saw it was $3.50 per gallon for regular gas, but I worry that it might go up to $4 if the war continues.” Mr. A added, “Prices have already been rising lately, and I am concerned that the cost of living will increase even further due to the aftermath of the Middle East war.”
Korean restaurant owners are also feeling the economic downturn. Bae Chan-hee, owner of Han River Restaurant in Annandale, said, “Customer numbers have dropped noticeably since Fairfax County imposed a 6% food tax earlier this year, compounded by the war.”
Bae noted, “There is an atmosphere these days where people are reluctant to open their wallets,” adding, “Sales have definitely declined since the war between the U.S. and Iran began.” She further stated, “Many people supported President Donald Trump with the expectation that the economy would improve, but with the war on top of that, the situation has turned out this way, causing great concern.”
The war also increased anxiety among parents with children serving in the military. Bae shared, “One acquaintance of mine has a son serving as an officer in a unit in North Carolina, and there are rumors circulating that his unit could be deployed if ground forces are sent out.
Parents are constantly on edge these days, praying for their children’s safety.” Mr. B, a resident of Centreville, Virginia, said, “My daughter is currently serving as an officer in Germany, and I am extremely worried that if the war escalates and ground troops are deployed, she might also be stationed in Iran.” The travel industry is also closely monitoring the situation.
Joanne Han, president of Hans Travel, a Korean American travel agency in the Washington area, said, “We operate travel packages to the Middle East, including Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and above all, we hope the war in the Middle East ends as soon as possible.”
Ms. Han added, “Fortunately, all Middle East travel itineraries scheduled before the war began have been completed. We are currently planning to resume Middle East travel at the end of this year, and we are receiving continuous inquiries from customers asking if there will be any issues with the trips at that time.”
The retail industry is also concerned about rising costs due to the prolonged war. Mr. C, a Korean-American who operates a large grocery store, said, “Although there hasn’t been a significant impact yet, if the war continues for more than two weeks, there is a high possibility that logistics and transportation costs will rise due to increasing fuel prices.
Ultimately, this increase in costs will inevitably lead to product price hikes.” He specifically added, “For products imported from Korea, the burden of shipping costs could increase, so the price hike is expected to be even greater.” While the Korean community in the Washington area has not yet experienced any direct damage, there is an atmosphere of close monitoring, with concerns about the impact on the economy and daily life should the war become prolonged.