Korean Community Also Affected by US Protests...First Damage Reported in New York

Night Curfew Order Ignored, Looting Continues Overnight
50 Locations Robbed in Philadelphia... Estimated Damage $4 Million

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min, Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] As protests against racial discrimination intensify in the United States, the Korean American community is also suffering increasing damage. The first damage to a Korean-owned store has been reported in New York. With the security vacuum worsening nationwide, concerns are spreading that the 1992 Los Angeles riots might be repeated.

According to Korean residents across the U.S. on the 2nd (local time), damage to Korean stores that began in Minneapolis is spreading to LA, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and other cities. In Philadelphia, where the most damage has been reported so far, about 50 Korean-owned stores including beauty supply shops, mobile phone stores, and pharmacies were looted by protestors. The scale of damage to the Korean community in Philadelphia is estimated at $3 to $4 million. It is known that about 70,000 Korean residents live in this area.

Local Korean residents are deeply concerned about the security vacuum. Large shopping centers owned by Koreans in Philadelphia were completely looted within 4 to 5 hours. However, the police did not appear despite multiple reports. The nighttime curfew order was not properly enforced, and looting continued late into the night. Looters even parked trucks on the street and loaded goods by the box.

CBS Chicago, a local media outlet in the Chicago area, reported the story of Kim Hak-dong, who suffered damage in Chicago’s South Side. On the 31st of last month, when the incident occurred, Kim said he was at his store but could only watch the looting. In Washington DC, a liquor store operated by a Korean near the White House was also reported to have been damaged.

During the LA riots, the Korean Town in LA suffered heavy damage, and the California National Guard has been deployed there. National Guard troops were stationed at 3 to 4 locations, including the Korean shopping mall Galleria on West Olympic Boulevard, starting the previous afternoon, maintaining strict vigilance. The National Guard is reportedly planning to remain stationed in Korean Town alongside the LA Police Department until the protest situation ends to prevent a recurrence of the riot.

Following LA, the first damage case has also emerged in New York, which has a large Korean population. On this day, a Korean store in the Bronx suffered fire damage, causing tension among the local Korean community. With protests expanding and anti-Asian hate overlapping, it is uncertain where the backlash might spread. Park Kwang-min, head of the New York Korean Professional Organizations, said, "The fact that protestors are wearing masks and covering their faces due to the COVID-19 situation makes this even more worrisome."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.