With the opening of the Federal Way light rail a few months ago, you can now travel car-free all the way to Lynnwood on the 1 Line. That’s significant for Korean communities across the region.
You see it in restaurants and small businesses. In the markets. In the places where people gather, connect and feel at home.
Whether it’s picking up groceries at H Mart Federal Way, meeting friends at a local spot like Kkum Kkum Restaurant or Daebak Wang Mandoo Korean Dumplings, grabbing a warm bowl of rice cake and dumpling soup, or making the occasional trip north to visit family or a favorite spot in Lynnwood, getting to those places is becoming easier.
For many, trips that once meant planning around traffic, parking or long bus connections can now be more direct and predictable. A commute to work. Picking up groceries. Meeting family for dinner. The kinds of everyday moments that shouldn’t take extra effort to get to.
Sound Transit's first-ever Transit-Oriented Development project opened in 2010 near the Federal Way Transit Center. We partnered with the Korean Women’s Association (KWA) and Common Ground to support the development, Senior City. Now, there's a Link station right next door.
Link also connects Federal Way to Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport, Lynnwood, and now to the Eastside, making it easier to reach more places across the region.
As we recognize Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, it’s also a chance to reflect on the communities that shape our region and the importance of making transit accessible to everyone.
Other Asian- and Pacific Islander-owned businesses within a mile of Federal Way Downtown Station include:
- Seoul Hotdog
- Pac Island Grill
- Theary Cambodian Foods
- Shin Sung Restaurant
- Kum Kang San Buffet
- Mirak Restaurant
Because it’s more than getting from point A to point B. It’s about connecting communities and bringing people together.
What did we miss on this list? Tag us @SoundTransit on social media or email us at lifestyle@soundtransit.org.