[Correspondent Diary] Are Korean Americans the Ones Suffering from Anti-Racism Protests?

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Following the protests sparked by the death of Black man George Floyd due to police asphyxiation, there has been a growing possibility for improvement in discrimination against Black people in the United States. However, Asian communities, including Koreans, have found themselves caught in a blind spot regarding racial discrimination improvements, struggling to escape negative impacts.

While improvements in racial discrimination are welcome, there is an increasing likelihood that Asian residents, such as Koreans who have high educational enthusiasm and academic achievement, may have to bear some disadvantages. If preferential treatment toward Black people occurs, it will inevitably affect Asian Americans' employment and college admissions in the U.S.

On the 10th (local time), the California State Assembly passed a bill to reinstate the minority preference policy known as ‘Affirmative Action.’ If the bill also passes the State Senate, the final decision on its reinstatement will be determined by voters through a referendum. Local public opinion is leaning toward the repeal of the bill. California is the most populous state in the U.S. and has a large Asian population, so the ripple effects are expected to be significant.

This is also closely related to the spread of protests against George Floyd’s death and the formation of a social atmosphere opposing racial discrimination. A local media outlet in the LA area reported that the protests against racial discrimination toward Black people triggered by George Floyd’s death made the urgency of passing this bill clear. The California State Assembly’s passage of the bill with 60 votes in favor and 11 against is a clear example showing the growing public demand in the U.S. to address discrimination against Black people.

Shirley Weber, a Democratic assembly member who proposed the bill, expressed, "Thanks to George Floyd, I no longer have to convince people that racial discrimination is real."

If Affirmative Action is reinstated, it will allow considerations based on race, gender, skin color, ethnicity, and nationality in many areas, including college admissions, employment, and government project bidding within California. Particularly, Black people, who are relatively disadvantaged, are likely to benefit.

On the 12th (local time), the LA Times editorialized that repealing Affirmative Action 24 years ago was a mistake by voters and emphasized the urgency of its reinstatement. The Times pointed out that since the repeal, women and people of color have suffered serious discrimination and economic losses.

Elite Ivy League universities on the East Coast have already applied minority preference policies, limiting admissions of high-achieving Asians, including Koreans, which has sparked controversy. The court ruling on Harvard University’s Affirmative Action policy disadvantaging Asians is a representative example. This situation is now unfolding in California as well.

Asian residents, especially those of Korean and Chinese descent, are seriously concerned about this measure. Although they are minorities, if Affirmative Action is introduced, preferential treatment is likely to be concentrated on Black people who are in relatively disadvantaged situations.

Many companies have already promised or are considering preferential hiring and correcting wage discrimination for Black people in response to protests over George Floyd’s death. This means fewer opportunities will be available to Asian residents during hiring.

Qunhua Liao, a Chinese American who posted a petition opposing the repeal of California’s Affirmative Action bill on the petition site Change.org, said, “I think some people want to show sympathy by giving special treatment to certain racial groups,” expressing dissatisfaction with the bill’s passage.

Steven Choi, a Korean American member of the California State Assembly, argued that the bill’s passage legalizes racial and gender discrimination. Assemblyman Choi clearly opposed it, stating, “Skin color, race, gender, or nationality should not determine qualifications for positions, jobs, or college admissions.”

The ruling Republican Party, ahead of the presidential election, favored repealing Affirmative Action. Not only do their existing white supporters prefer its repeal, but they also saw it as necessary to appeal to Asian American voters. However, it is now not easy to maintain this stance unconditionally.

If Asian Americans oppose Affirmative Action, they may face even greater backlash. Particularly, conflicts between Black and Korean communities are a concern. The painful memory of Korean stores being looted during the 1992 LA riots still remains.

Now that the course of the current is set, it is time to prepare swift countermeasures.

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