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Koreans, Blacks Answer And Ask Tough Questions At Symposium.
The following are remarks from Edward Chang, professor of ethnic studies at Cal Poly Pomona at the symposium "Black-Korean Encounter: Toward Understanding and Alliance," which was sponsored by the Asian Studies Department at Cal State Los Angeles. Part 1 of this story, which appeared in Asian Week's June 5 issue, offered insight from other community and academic leaders who attended the symposium.
Edward Chang, professor of ethnic studies, Cal Poly Pomona:
Since the early 1980s Korean/African conflicts have surfaced in many urban cities in the United States. Interethnic tensions in African American neighborhoods have its historic roots. Jewish merchants and African American residents clashed during the 1960s. In fact, Jewish-owned stores were targeted by protesters, and many white-owned stores were destroyed through the last riot of 1965.
During the Los Angeles riot of 1992, Korean stores were targeted by rioters, and Korean American businesses and Koreatown suffered severe damages. Did African American protesters target Korean-owned stores? According to a FBI official who directed the federal law enforcement efforts during the disturbance, Korean American merchants were targeted .... There were several possible explanations for targeting Korean-owned stores during the recent riots. It does not necessarily mean that Korean-African American tensions were the root cause for the riot. We need to make that very clear because during the past 20 days, I interviewed with a lot of reporters and that was the first question -- was the Korean-African American conflict the root cause of the problem or not? And I had to really elaborate on why it wasn't ....
First there is a widespread perception that majority of store owners in South Central Los Angeles are Korean Americans. Proliferation of Korean American businesses in South Central L.A. began in the late '70s and during the 1980s. In the eyes of the residents of South Central Los Angeles, there are simply too many Korean-owned stores in South Central L.A.
Secondly, some African-American merchants may resent the sudden increase in Korean-owned businesses because it poses a potential threat to their livelihood. Korean merchants are perceived as a social competition that may drive them out of business.
Thirdly, the residents of South Central L.A. perceive the Korean American merchants as...