(코리아타운뉴스) Korean-American Teens Search For Their Roots

Teenagers visit independent activists’ site in Central California

Teenagers representing Koreatown are set to visit the site used by pioneers of the Korean-American immigrant community some 100 years ago. The host of the project has already said that more than enough applicants have shown interest in taking part.

Ideated by the KNA Memorial Foundation, the 98th March 1st Commemoration event reminded the Korean-American community about just how much education the younger generation needs on what has shaped their identity throughout the last century. To this day, not many young Korean-Americans know that the history of their immigration began on Jan. 13, 1903 when 102 Koreans arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“The foundation of our immigrant community was established in Central California’s Reedley and Dinuba,” said KNAMF chief executive Young-shin Kwon.

“That’s where our forefathers first created a Koreatown with the purpose of their independent activism while Korea was colonized. The Koreatown in Central California is the cradle of Korean-American independent activism during the Japanese occupation of Korea. This project was created to show our younger generation the footsteps of our ancestors.”

The KNAMF already began accepting applications from young Korean-Americans, some of whom will take part in the trip that will begin at 8 a.m. on March 25 from the Korea National Association Memorial Hall. The traveling team will return by 9 p.m. after visiting the historic sites in Reedley and Dinuba.

As of Monday, 145 applicants have already expressed their interest. The KNAMF plans to rent two large buses to accommodate as many applicants as it can.
“Transportation and meals will be provided for free,” Kwon said. “We’re still discussing how we’ll go about developing the rest of the budget as well as how to we’ll manage the influx of applicants.”

The purpose of the project is to identify with the root of Korean-American immigration by visiting the historic site in Central California.

The admitted applicants will see the following sites: (1) the memorial of Korean-American immigration history (196 N Reed Ave. Reedley), (2) memorials of Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, first South Korean president Syngman Rhee, pastor Byung-koo Yoon, Jong-rim Kim, Si-dae Han, Cheol Song, Yong-jung Kim, Hyung-soon Kim, Ho Kim and Jae-su Lee, (3) birthplaces of Hyung-soon Kim and Ho Kim, who contributed to Korean independence as well as the growth of the Korean-American community, (4) the public cemetery of Korean-American immigrants born between 1870 and 1980 (2185 S Reed Ave, Reedley), (5) the first Korean-American church and (6) the street that held the march of Korean independent activists in 1920.

“It’s important for American-born Korean children to understand who we are,” said Chang-ho Min, who applied to take part in the trip along with the teenagers and their parents. “There is a sense of pride they can feel by learning how the pioneering Korean-Americans were committed to Korean independence and the hard work they put in to settle in the U.S.”

Immigrant expert Man-jae Cha and volunteers will act as the guide for the trip to Central California.

Meanwhile, the Korea National Association Memorial Hall has seen an increasing number of visitors since South Korea’s hit reality TV show Infinite Challenge introduced the history of Korean-Americans in Los Angeles.

“Parents and their children are welcome to follow our travel bus for the trip to Central California,” said Kwon. “It’ll definitely be a great experience for everyone involved.”


By Hyoung Jae Kim