Understanding reverse immigration to Korea from the US: Applying hierarchical needs theory and livability index

This study examines the growing phenomenon of reverse immigration among older Korean Americans returning from the United States to Korea, applying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the AARP Livability Index as analytical frameworks. Semi-structured interviews with 30 participants, including 1 Korean German, revealed that migration decisions were shaped by multiple, overlapping motivations pursued simultaneously, rather than sequentially. These included avoiding eldercare burdens on adult children, reclaiming independence, ensuring access to culturally familiar food, optimizing retirement income, and benefiting from Korea’s affordable healthcare, housing, and public transportation. Comparative assessments of the United States and Korea highlighted perceived deficits in U.S. senior welfare systems as push factors and Korea’s economic, social, and cultural advantages as pull factors. The findings challenge the linear application of Maslow’s model, illustrating how later-life migration can function as a multi-level needs-fulfillment strategy embedded within distinct social environments. The predominance of middle- and upper-income retirees in the sample limits transferability. The results underscore the importance of integrating human behavior theory with environmental assessments in social work practice to design culturally responsive policies that address both structural and personal determinants of migration, enabling older adults to age in place without relocation pressures.