"We moved because it was a centralized location near the freeways, and with a large Asian community," said the Korean American Chamber's president, Alex Hull. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2000 survey, nearly half of Cupertino is of Asian descent, with 9.5 percent of the city's Asian community of Korean origin.

"Koreans originally came to the area as students at Stanford and Berkeley," Hull said. "When they graduated they stayed because of the high-tech jobs and excellent public schools."

Korean businesses also moved to the area to support these populations, he said, making the Silicon Valley one of the largest Korean centers in the United States. The Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley launched 30 years ago as a part of this booming population.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 2,000 Koreans live in Cupertino and are part of a larger community in neighboring Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. Santa Clara is home to the largest section of Korean businesses, Hull said, stretching along El Camino Real to the Lawrence Expressway.

Today, the Korean American Chamber serves all of these populations, and those hoping to work with them. "It helps anyone who wants to do business in Korea or with Koreans," said Hull. South Korea's Consulate General Office in San Francisco is actively involved in making that happen. "We're like a satellite office of [the South Korean] Council General's office," Hull said.

In addition to holding business seminars and get-togethers, the Korean American Chamber also sponsors cultural and educational programs, and has a small resource center at its headquarters on Bubb Road in Cupertino.

Katie Chun, the chamber's executive director, said resources include information on other chambers of commerce, such as the Korean American Chamber of Commerce in the East Bay, and information on how to set up a business, and how to avoid fraud.

Chun said there is no Cupertino business currently active with the chamber, but she hopes that changes.

In addition, Hull said he was working with the city of Santa Clara on holding a Korean Festival next year.

For more information on the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley, please call, 408.777.8718