(코리아타운뉴스) Free Counseling for Families in Need

Korean American Family Services (KFAM) is launching a new project to help the undocumented and low-income families across Southern California under the title Resilience to Overcome Challenges for Korean Family (ROCK). The program has been designed to provide free counseling for families in need. “We recognized that counseling is something that the Korean community here needs in a big way,” said KFAM executive director Connie Chung. “Since 2015, we’ve been providing free counseling thanks to financial contribution from our Korean sponsor. We hope to raise more money to provide the service to more people in our community, which is why we’re launching this project.” The charity raised for ROCK started in 2015 as an anonymous contributor made a donation to launch the free counseling service. Since then, the counseling that was only available to 18 people in 2014 soared to 77 in 2015. One person on average receives eight counseling sessions, meaning the number of sessions have also increased from 144 in 2014 to 616 in 2015. Generally, those who wish to receive counseling must pay at least between $25 and $45 even with outside funding. “There are still plenty of Koreans who are averse to paying just $25 for counseling,” said KFAM director Sylvia Kwon. “Not receiving counseling in a timely manner can sometimes lead to extreme circumstances, including suicides.” Kwon added that she will be participating in the upcoming L.A. Marathon as a part of the fundraiser for ROCK. A 20-year veteran runner, Kwon completed six marathons in 2015. She plans to represent the name of the organization or person making the donation as she takes part in the event on March 19. “The anxiety among undocumented families has been rising rapidly since the Trump administration took charge,” Chung said. “We expect the need for counseling for them will only rise in the future.” ▶ Inquiries: (213) 235-4867 By Soo Yeon Oh

2017.02.22. 16:55

(코리아타운뉴스) Resident Registration for Overseas Koreans Remains Low

The need for ethnic-Koreans to register their residence status back home during their stay in the motherland is becoming increasingly urgent. Two years after the South Korean Ministry of the Interior implemented the resident status registration for ethnic-Koreans in its country, only 46,832 have been registered as of January 2017. The figure falls well short of the South Korean government’s estimation of around 110,000 ethnic-Koreans who are believed to be residing abroad. The South Korean capital reportedly have the highest number of returning Korean national residents at 19,564, while the Gyeonggi Province and Busan came in second and third with 13,265 and 2,626, respectively. The registration process was implemented on Jan. 22, 2015 to help Koreans residing abroad to better utilize the government-sanctioned resources, such as financial transactions and other administrative needs, during their return to the motherland. Koreans who live abroad are encouraged to apply for registration if their stay in South Korea will last for 30 days or longer. They can submit their applications at any community service centers. By Byong Il Kim

2017.02.16. 15:56

(코리아타운뉴스) Korean Banks’ ROA Slightly Above Average

The return on assets (ROA) of Korean-American banks is above average, according to a recent data compiled by the California Bankers Association (CBA). All seven U.S.-based Korean banks surpassed the statewide ROA average of 1.47 percent among 178 banks in 2016. The ROA indicates the efficiency of a bank’s utilization of its assets. Generally, a figure surpassing 1 percent is considered favorable. Of the 178 banks, all seven Korean banks entered the top 75 while five of them broke into the top 50. CBB Bank marked the highest ROA among Korean banks at 2.28 percent, putting itself 15th in the overall, statewide rankings. Next up was Pacific City Bank at 2.19 percent as it came in 17th overall. Hanmi Bank (2.16 percent), Bank of Hope (1.99), Open Bank (1.84), Uniti Bank (1.73) and US Metro Bank (1.58) followed. “Korean banks possess more commercial real estate and SBA loans than average,” said an anonymous source within the banking industry. “That’s why they’ve traditionally had higher revenue compared to other banks in the country.” Meanwhile, Capital Bank and Trust Company came in first in the statewide rankings at 27.98 percent. Finishing last was Merchant Bank of California at -11.06 percent. “We will continue to make efforts to make a balanced growth even though we’ve been consistent with our track record of making revenues,” said CBB Bank president Joanne Kim. By Sung Cheol Jin

2017.02.16. 15:54

(코리아타운뉴스) IRS to Accept Tax Returns without Obamacare Disclosures

The International Revenue Service (IRS) said Wednesday that it will no longer withhold tax returns that ignore weather the taxpayer complied with the government requirement of enrolling in its health care plans. Proverbially known as Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act required Americans to have a minimum level of health insurance or qualify for an exemption. Under the ACA, Americans who are not in compliance with the mandate have been subject to the “individual shared responsibility payment” as a penalty. Former U.S. President Barack Obama hoped to that the requirement would further contribute to more Americans enrolling in the health care policy for years to come. However, President Donald Trump’s executive order to “minimize the economic burden” of the ACA is leading many Americans to believe that the IRS announcement will serve as the beginning of its end. Case in point, the IRS has already announced that its decision is following President Trump’s executive order. Still, tax advisors have warned Americans about the change in policy as the penalty for non-enrollment remains unchanged. Failing to comply with the mandate requires a penalty of $695 per person or 2.5 percent of the concerned individual’s annual income. “The ideal way to prevent unexpected issues is to file the return just like how you did it last year,” said Gary Son, the Korean American CPA Society of Southern California’s chairman. “That is until the current administration has officially come up with a replacement policy for ACA.” Last year, taxpayers who did not comply with the requirement paid an average of $452 in penalty per person, while 1,220 have requested for an exemption. Meanwhile, President Trump has admitted to the difficulties of revising the current ACA and that he ultimately plans to create a new policy to replace it. Furthermore, he hinted that the new policy will take until next year to be prepared for an official announcement. By Sung Cheol Jin

2017.02.16. 15:52

(코리아타운뉴스) Tony Lee becomes UCLA’s new police chief

A second-generation Korean-American police officer will start serving as UCLA’s new chief of police from March 13. UCLA announced Tuesday that Tony Lee (pictured), a 26-year veteran at the Beverly Hills Police Department, will serve as the head of the university’s police department. “Tony [Lee] brings to UCLA a demonstrated background of strong public safety experience,” said UCLA’s administrative vice chancellor Michael Beck. Lee will replace Many Garza, who has delayed his retirement to assume the leadership of the school’s on-campus police department. Lee holds a 26-year experience as a police officer and has most recently worked as the captain of the Beverly Hills Police Department. He received his BA in criminal justice from Cal State L.A. before completing his master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Northridge. “It’s truly an amazing honor to be selected as the police chief in what I consider to be one of the finest university police departments in the nation,” Lee said. “I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students to enhance campus safety.” By Hyoung Jae Kim

2017.02.15. 17:24

(코리아타운뉴스) Finally, a Sun Sighting!

Southern Californians were finally treated to an early spring weather on Tuesday as the temperature hovered around the 70s throughout much of the afternoon. Dressed rather lightly, a USC student is enjoying the day on campus in a hammock. The warm weather is expected to continue on until Thursday afternoon. It is expected to begin raining from Thursday night to the President’s Day. Sang Jin Kim

2017.02.15. 17:17

(코리아타운뉴스) Lawyer’s Advice is No Meal Ticket

A man in Los Angeles who came under scrutiny due to his lawyer’s ill-advised instruction was compensated after six years in a settlement worth about $200,000. Hwang, the last name the man is only identified by, was involved in a heavily contested lawsuit against another Korean man, also identified only by his last name Park, over a share of business ownership in 2011. The court’s ruling was against Hwang, who had to fork out $648,000 in compensation after losing the lawsuit. Los Angeles Koreatown-based lawyer, identified only by his last name Jeong, represented Hwang at the time. However, Hwang later discovered that Jeong committed a critical error while performing his duties. Although the court ruled that Hwang has to compensate Park, the final ruling erroneously stated that he must compensate the company which he has lost the ownership of. “I noticed that $115,000 was withdrawn from my business account after I lost the lawsuit,” Hwang said. “I realized afterwards that the final ruling contained an error, but my lawyer didn’t even submit an objection. My business had to suffer because of a lawyer’s mistake.” Taken aback by the unexpected financial loss, Hwang began reviewing his trial process. “Jeong first told me that $40,000 was all I needed to spend on the case,” Hwang said. “After I accumulated the total cost of what I’ve spent on it, the sum actually exceeded $100,000. I’ve never even received an invoice that detailed the additional cost.” Hwang added: “Jeong also told me that he will partner with an American lawyer for this case, but I found out on my own later that he partnered with someone whose license was suspended twice and told me nothing about it. This is not at all ethical.” After making those disturbing discoveries, Hwang filed for a malpractice lawsuit against Jeong at the L.A. Superior Court in April 2014. The case proceeded for almost two years until the court finally ruled that Jeong must compensate $200,000 to Hwang. Hwang’s case best exemplifies the need for anyone involved in a legal battle to grasp a comprehensive understanding of the trial’s details. Legal experts advise that simply abiding by a lawyer’s advice must be avoided. “Many common Korean-Americans simply expect their lawyers to take care of everything after they delegate the duty to the lawyers,” said a lawyer based in L.A. “It’s important for them to be actively involved in the lawsuit as it is ultimately their case and to carefully check and review every detail alongside the lawyer.” As of February 2017, more than 200,000 lawyers are registered by the State Bar of California (SBC). The SBC has made an in-house policy to prevent lawyers’ mistake from enlarging the clients’ losses. “Through Client Security Fund (CSF), we compensate up to $100,000 clients who’ve suffered a loss due to a mistake of a SBC-registered lawyer,” said an anonymous source close to the SBC. “When such a case occurs, the affected lawyer could also be penalized.” Meanwhile, clients can confirm the activity history, member affiliations and penalty records of lawyers in California via calbar.ca.gov. By Yeol Jang

2017.02.15. 17:15

(코리아타운뉴스) “More You Meet, More Chances You Get!”

The Korean American Deacons Association and nonprofit matchmaking services provider Chungsil Hongsil are hosting its 18th meeting on March 12 at Los Angeles Koreatown’s Oxford Palace Hotel. “A child’s marriage is the focal point of attention for every family,” said Chungsil Hongsil director Jae-dong Kim. “The trend may indicate that young people nowadays are getting married later on in their lives, but that’s primarily because they aren’t given enough chances to meet potential spouses.” Chungsil Hongsil secretary general Chan-yeol Jeong said: “There’s no financial benefit for us. We are hosting the events for the sole purpose of serving our mission. We feel rewarded by so many couples that we’ve matched over the last seven to eight years. Let’s continue to give chances to our children!” The meeting is arranged in a free-flowing manner. The attendees take between three and five minutes each to describe their children’s educational backgrounds, careers, religions and whether or not they prefer speaking English or Korean. Attended mostly by just parents, they later discuss among them to gauge the compatibility of each other’s child to potentially set up a meeting for them. Children of the attending parents are also allowed to participate if they wish. Parents who attend without their children must bring their photos. Admission is $100 per attendee. A group of two can attend for $150 and just $200 for three. Seats are available to 50 people on a first-come first-served basis. Chungsil Hongsil was founded in 2009. Its meetings are held on second Sundays of March and September for parents of children whose ages are suitable for marriage. ▶ Inquiries: (714) 530-3111, [email protected] By Byung Chang

2017.02.15. 17:13

(코리아타운뉴스) KADC Endorses Robert Ahn

Robert Ahn, who is in the running for California’s 34th Congressional District, has garnered the supported of the Korean American Democratic Committee. The KADC announced that the organization finds Ahn to be the most suitable candidate for the upcoming election on April 4. “This is the perfect opportunity for us to have a Korean-American congressman,” said KADC chairman John Yi. “Ahn has been a leader of the Korean-American community. As the Republicans are dominating the country at the moment, we’re in desperate need for a candidate like Ahn.” Ahn is posing with KADC members. [photo provided by KADC]

2017.02.14. 17:08

(코리아타운뉴스) Undocumented Immigrants Deplore Anti-Immigration Policy

Con artists targeting immigrants are resurfacing yet again as President Donald Trump is clamping down on his policy to tighten up the country’s borders. The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office issued a warning on Feb. 13 to immigrants who may have been approached by those who claim to be lawyers or notaries who can help them to obtain legal status to reside in the United States. More immigrants have been exploited in recent weeks as conmen are abusing their need of a legal status by framing them into spending money for the false services. The so-called “immigration conmen” are playing up President Trump’s executive order to reject entrance of citizens from seven mostly Muslim countries to strike fear into immigrants in the U.S., according to the county prosecutors. They are reportedly using the desperation of the undocumented immigrants to simply take their money by promising that they will provide the services to grant them lawful residence. “The immigration conmen pretend to be reputable lawyers or notaries by advertising themselves through various media channels,” a prosecutor said. “They first offer free counseling and then talk the ‘clients’ into forking out cash.” The prosecutors have picked out four different types of those conmen. There are the ones who guarantees obtainment of legal status by saying that they have “connection” to people who work for the immigration department. There are also those who advise the clients to provide false information in their immigration paperwork. Then, there are the conmen who disguise as notaries, consultants or lawyers without having the legal grounds to do so as well as the ones who offer “express” service to provide legal status. The county prosecutors advised that anyone who is familiar with a similar case is encouraged to call (800) 593-8222. Callers will not be asked to provide their immigration status. Meanwhile, those contacted by someone who claims to be a lawyer can confirm by calling immigration fraud hotline at (866) 879-4532. By Hyoung Jae Kim

2017.02.14. 17:07

(코리아타운뉴스) LAX Panics over Trump

Travelers entering Los Angeles via its international airport LAX is struggling through inconvenience more so than ever before as immigration procedure and inspection for those who are entering the country have become immensely strict in recent weeks. Much of the clampdown at the airport checkpoint is primarily due to President Donald Trump’s policy to tighten up the United States’ admission to non-American citizens. Travelers who are set to fly into or out of LAX are now encouraged to arrive three to four hours before their actual flight time to ensure that they have secured enough time. Police and inspection officers have been instructed to raise the level of their security and to widen their inspection area, which has now also contributed to heavier traffic for those driving into their airport. “It took me 30 years to get to the airport entrance to its parking lot when I had to travel to Mexico for work last weekend,” said 35-year-old L.A.-resident Ji-eun Yoo. “There were more armed police officers than before and they were asking me more questions when checking my luggage. The process overall was stricter.” The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently released a report, which showed that an average wait time for people traveling through LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal on Dec. 4 was only 45 minutes. However, the wait time on Feb. 5 was extended to 51 minutes. “The Trump administration has strengthened the inspection of people leaving and entering the country,” said an employee at LAX. “It has become more time consuming to complete the inspection. People who come to the airport to pick up travelers are obviously spending more time there, so the airport has gotten busier for sure.” Although those at TSA and CBP said that the purpose of the recent clampdown is for security, they did not deny that the Trump administration has made an impact. “Our task has returned to being what it used to be as the president’s executive order has been suspended by the court,” said CBP agent James지번. “It’s still true that inspection at the airport has become stricter since the new administration took charge. We’d like to ask for everyone’s understanding as we’re doing all of this for the travelers’ safety.” An employee of an airline who works at LAX added, “It’s better for travelers to simply arrive at the airport earlier as both tighter inspection and construction at LAX has slowed things down here. I expect this to continue for quite some time into the future.” By Yeol Jang

2017.02.14. 17:05

(코리아타운뉴스) Korean American United Foundation under Investigation?

California prosecutors have hinted at the possibility of investigating the internal conflicts of the Korean American United Foundation (KAUF). The KAUF, which has been divided into two factions due to its longstanding conflicts, announced on Feb. 9 that each faction’s board of directors have made a request to the divided bodies to submit all documents that pertain to the operation of the foundation. The prosecutor’s office has instructed the KAUF to submit its bank account information, documents pertaining to its operation and other financial information of the foundation before the deadline. Also, the prosecutors have also requested for a submission of records related to the process of Korean-American Federation of L.A. (KAF LA), which was once owned by the KAUF, converting itself from a nonprofit to a private organization. “We’ve already submitted our documents after we received the request,” said KAF LA chairwoman Laura Jeon, who once stood in opposition to the body that ran the KAUF under its leader Sung-hoon Yoon. “I’m hopeful that the prosecutors’ investigation will lead to the normalization of the organization.” Yoo also expressed his relief at the prospects of investigation by California prosecutors. “Our lawyer has also submitted the documents as well as the bank information,” Yoon said. “We will fully cooperate with the prosecutors.” California prosecutors are setting their sights on a complete investigation of the three-year standoff among the two factions within the KAUF. The main subject of investigation is expected to be on the legality of the organization’s operation. Meanwhile, South Korea’s L.A. consul general Key-cheol Lee has already attempted to mediate the normalization of the KAUF between Yoon and Jeon, but the process has been stalled. Both sides have made an agreement to work towards mending their relationships, but no action has been taken as of today. “The KAF LA will no longer represent the KAUF to work towards normalization,” said Jeon. “We are going to appoint our own director or representative as a response.” By Hyoung Jae Kim

2017.02.14. 16:45

(코리아타운뉴스) Helping Low-Income Families Gain Internet Access

“Sign up for an affordable Internet service and take a Chromebook!” Happy Village, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, is helping residents in Orange County and its surrounding areas to gain access to Internet at an affordable price. Thanks in large to a partnership with California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), Happy Village is trying to raise the bar on bridging the capacity to obtain information between the low-income families in Southern California and more affluent households. Alongside CETF and Internet service provider Frontier, Happy Village has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a default mission of distributing access to the Internet to the low-income families of the L.A. metropolitan area. Those who sign up also receive a free Chromebook. CETF has already provided 1,000 Chromebooks for the promotion. “The likes of AT&T and Mobile Citizen also hand out Chromebook to customers who sign up, but that only applies to those who reside in areas where the services are provided,” said Happy Village representative Mark Lee. “Frontier is available to everyone who lives in Orange County’s Buena Park, Anaheim, Fullerton and even Artesia, Lakewood and Long Beach,” Lee added. To take advantage of Frontier’s affordable Internet service, the customer must not have had Internet connection at home for the last six months. The customer must also sign up for California LifeLine, a phone service exclusive to low-income families, which only cost between $3.64 and $6.84 per month. LifeLine is only available to those residing in Section 8 housing or the beneficiaries of Medi-Cal, SSI or WIC. Those who wish to take advantage of the program may confirm their eligibility by calling Happy Village at 213-368-2679 or by accessing hvkadc.org. Happy Village is currently seeking other organizations, including religious and nonprofit groups, to participate in promoting the cause of wiring low-income families. By Sang Hwan Lim

2017.02.14. 16:42

(코리아타운뉴스) “Let’s Refinance Before Interest Rate Soars”

More Koreans are opting to refinance their commercial real estate properties. As the standard interest rate is expected to rise on several occasions throughout this year, property owners are aiming to reduce their interest rates by refinancing before it goes up even further as even an increase of 0.5 percent could be a considerable burden. The current interest rate on commercial real estate property has already surpassed 4.5 percent, although it only remained at 3 percent until the final quarter of last year. Buyers of commercial real estate generally make their payments over five to seven years, but those with only a year or two remaining in their loan payments are increasingly applying for refinancing. The interest rate five years ago was relatively low, and the recent resurgence has convinced them to refinance their loans even if that means they are levied pre-payment penalties. “The penalty is about 1 percent,” said a commercial property owner in Koreatown. “It’d still be better to refinance considering the rise of interest.” The Wall Street Journal also reported that the size of refinanced loan deals among corporations in January alone combined for approximately $100 billion. That amount is reportedly after a combined $10 billion was saved by refinancing their deals. However, some banks are showing an aversion to customers who have attempted to refinance their commercial real estate property loans. For the banks, allowing the property owners to refinance their loans could mean that they may miss out on cashing in from the rise of interest rate. Hence, bank representatives are suggesting that simply following everyone else to refinance the loans may not be the wisest decision. Instead, it is advised that property owners should consider various factors, including their remaining balance as well as relationship with the banks. Property owners are especially encouraged to make a decision based on the amount of their pre-payment penalties versus how much they could save by refinancing. The conditions of individual property owner’s loans may vary and that could mean that refinancing may not be the idea decision for all. By Sung Cheol Jin

2017.02.14. 16:39

(코리아타운뉴스) What If Immigration Investigators Raid My Home?

After the federal investigators have arrested 1,000 undocumented immigrants across six major cities including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, human rights activists are preparing a response to protect the affected people who are fearing deportation. The USA Today reported on Feb. 11 that nonprofit organization American Civil Liberties Union’s program to support young immigrants, United We Dream, is using its online platforms, including social media, to promote ways to respond to investigators. What is notable about United We Dream’s campaign is that it has also launched a guideline in Korean. It advises undocumented immigrants to remain quiet and keep the doors closed when the enforcement from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid their homes, as it is their right to do so. United We Dream added that anyone who is subject to ICE’s investigation should ask the enforcement officers for a warrant if they attempt to enter the home. Furthermore, anyone in their homes has the right to refuse enforcement officers from entering their homes and ask that the officers leave a note outside of their doors if they have additional messages. However, arguing with an ICE officer makes anyone subject to being arrested. If that turns out to be the case, refusing to sign any paperwork until appointing a lawyer becomes critical. United We Dream also advised that anyone who feels threatened by the recent arrest should prepare a plan, such as appointing a legal advisor in advance, especially if there are children at home who require guidance. Also, it is advised that anyone who is potentially subject to the investigation should keep identification documents, such as birth and marriage certificates in a safe place. United We Dream also posted online that immigrants subject to the investigation should write down the serial numbers on the investigator’s badge as well as recording everything they did after arriving at the doorsteps of the home. ▶ Reference: http://unitedwedream.org/thank-deportation-defense-card-handy-phone By Tae Joon Hur

2017.02.14. 16:37

(코리아타운뉴스) New 2-Bedroom Unit Over $3k

An average studio costs nearly $2k a month even older apartments are raising rent prices due to rising market value and construction cost “Is there a new two-bedroom apartment unit out there for around $2,000?” That has become something of a commonly shared question among those looking for new homes in Los Angeles Koreatown. As the town is going through a facelift with newly-built, upscale apartment complexes replacing older buildings, an average two-bedroom unit now easily surpasses $3,000 per month for tenants. For recently built apartments, the rent cost for all of its two-bedroom units are above $3,000, according to data compiled by the Korea Daily via Apartment.com. Some two-bedroom units of high-rise buildings even surpassed $5,000 per month. Even some single-room studios of new apartment complexes cost nearly $2,000, as one-bedroom units commonly range between $2,000 and $3,000. Only a few years ago, two-bedroom units at high-rise apartment cost no more than $2,000. Such a rapid increase in rent cost has prompted a major concern over an excessive rise in L.A.’s cost of living. The primary reason behind the soaring rent in L.A. is the real estate market boom, as well as the costly construction cost in recent years. For L.A. Koreatown, a square foot is now worth between $300 and $500 from only $100 to $200 a few years back. “It is true that the market value has simply gone up,” said a real estate developer. “The demand is extremely high at the moment, so there’s no reason to lower the rent. We’re simply monitoring the market’s progress and have either offered additional incentives or slight discounts.” An added criticism against real estate developers in the region is that the rising market value has also convinced property owners of the town’s older apartment complexes to increase rent as well. The K2 Apartment, which opened last July, is offering a 400 to 500 square-foot studio for around $1,800 and $2,000 per month. A 520 to 900 square foot one-bedroom unit is available for around $2,000 to $2,650, while a 1,000 to 1,250 square foot two-bedroom costs range from $3,100 to $3,450. The Abbey Apartment on Sixth and Normandie, once used by real estate developer Jamison Services’ office building, was remodeled into a residential property. Its 545 to 760 square-foot studio unit costs $1,900 to $2,200. A two-bedroom unit, around 3,250 to 3,600 square-feet in size, is available for between $3,250 and $3,600. Another apartment on Olympic Boulevard, which opened recently has rated its two-bedroom unit to cost anywhere between $3,175 and $4,950. The rent obviously costs more for high-rise apartment buildings. The 3033 Wilshire, located on Wilshire and Virgil, is renting out a studio for between $2,375 and $3,050, a one-bedroom unit for $3,100 to $4,000 and a two-bedroom unit for $4,225 to $5,875. Its penthouse, also a two-bedroom unit, is available for around $7,700 and $10,000. Such figures are in stark contrast to many two-bedroom units that were made available only a few years, most of which cost only around $2,000. Versailles Koreatown Apartments, located near Koreatown Plaza as the neighborhood’s very first luxury residential property, is currently renting a one-bedroom unit (610 to 650 square feet) for $1,900 to $2,077 and a two-bedroom unit (950 to 1, 000 square feet) for $2,500 to $2,600. For Wilshire Vermont Station Apartments, a studio is rated at $1,800, one-bedroom unit at $2,100 to $2,250 and two-bedroom unit at $2,750 to $2,950. The cost of rent in Koreatown also differs greatly from other areas in L.A., including downtown and La Brea. Wilshire La Brea apartment, which opened recently, is offering a studio at $2,115 to $2,260, a one-bedroom unit for $2400 to $3,400 and a two-bedroom unit for $3,100 to $5,500. At 1111 Wilshire, located near Wilshire Boulevard and the 110 freeway exit, is offering a studio at $2,000 to $2,265, a one-bedroom unit at $2,030 to $2,765 and a two-bedroom unit at $2,900 to $3,500. Aside from that, APEX. The One. Apartment in Downtown L.A. on Ninth and Figueroa is offering a 640 to 800 square foot studio for $2,670 to $2,920, a 700 to 1,160 square foot one-bedroom unit for $2,965 to $3,340 and a 2,000 square foot two-bedroom for $6,200. “It’s essentially impossible to rent a new two-bedroom apartment unit for around $2,000 a month nowadays,” said Keller Williams Realty agent Dae-young Hur. “The rent in Koreatown is now set considerably high, so it’s more difficult for Korean-Americans to move into their own communities, as even the older apartments are raising the rent. In a way, it’s making life more difficult for average Korean-Americans.” By Hyun Woo Kim

2017.02.14. 16:21

(코리아타운뉴스) “Eat Lettuce With Pork Belly”

A recent study revealed that vegetables such as lettuce, onions and garlic reduces the amount of hazardous poison when consuming cooked pork belly, beef and sausage. Dongguk University professor Jeong-seok Sung explained in his research for South Korea’s National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation on Feb. 9 that consuming vegetables and fruits lowers the amount of benzopyrene, a substance that inevitably turns poisonous when cooked at a high temperature. Benzopyrene has also been identified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a substance that could potentially cause cancer. Sung’s research stated that seven types of vegetables or fruits reduce benozopyrene by at least 15 percent—celeries (20.8), water parsleys (18.7), onions (18.1), lettuce (15.3), cinnamon (21.7), red tea (20.8) and strawberries (18.7). Additionally, the research found that single-component substances also reduces causation of cancerous cells, such as myricetin (by 65 percent), ascorbic acid (50) and kaempferol (45). The likes of lettuce, red tea, onions and celeries also had similar effects by 60, 45, 40 and 20 percent, respectively.

2017.02.09. 17:26

(코리아타운뉴스) Secret Camera at K-Town Bar

A server at a bar in Los Angeles Koreatown was caught filming a video footage of a female customer while she was in the restroom. The victim was reportedly left furious by the business owner’s attempt to dodge responsibility. The victim, a 30-year-old woman only identified by her last name Son, filed a damage claim suit against the business. The bar, only identified by its initial D, allegedly turned a blind eye to the employee who is now accused of the crime in November, Son said. “I saw a red men’s shoe underneath the restroom stall divider,” Son said. “Just when I thought something was weird, I saw a man’s hand shoving a smartphone camera under the stall divider.” The employee allegedly ran out of the restroom when Son screamed out of fear and shock. Son was able to identify the man after requesting the bar’s manager to show her the surveillance camera footage. “The business owner reluctantly admitted that the man was an employee only when my friends and I continued to confront him,” Son said. “But he never apologized. The police also said that there wasn’t enough evidence.” Ultimately, Son filed a damage claim suit against the bar. She says she is suffering from psychological damage as well from the incident. “I’m shocked that an employee can just enter a women’s restroom and start filming whatever he wants,” Son said. “I hope other customers will be careful.” However, the business owner dismissed Son’s claims and said that the incident occurred out of a misunderstanding. “The police arrived and we checked our employee’s smartphone, but there were no pictures or videos,” the business owner said. “I think she may have been mistaken. The lawsuit is still under review at the moment.” By Hyoung Jae Kim

2017.02.09. 17:24

(코리아타운뉴스) “Learning Korean enrich your child’s life”

Korean School of Fullerton held a seminar on Feb. 4 for aspiring students who wish to learn their native language. Approximately 120 students and parents attended the event as they expressed keen interest in learning the Korean language. Eunice Lee, a vice-director of the Foundation for Korean Language and Culture in USA, served as the main lecturer at the seminar to stress the need for the younger generation to learn Korean. Lee, an educator for 20 years now, highlighted the growth of Korean language programs across the United States in recent years. “Interest in learning Korean has increased drastically over the last few years thanks to the popularization of the South Korean pop culture,” Lee said. “About 60 locations in Southern California and 115 schools in the country are currently offering a program in Korean. Korean is also accessible at other various organizations like the church. The ideal way to improve your Korean is to study it consistently.” “Having a clear purpose, such as aiming to pass Korean language tests, is obviously much more helpful than simply watching some TV shows,” Lee added. “Preparing for those tests will help the student gain leverage in obtaining admission to schools and possibly finding jobs. It’ll also help them to speak a sophisticated version of Korean. Parents could play a key role in helping their children as well.” When asked how the children should learn Korean if they cannot attend separate classes for it, Lee explained that leading them in a way to develop interest in Korean dramas and movies, creating a routine of writing and reading Korean and utilizing smartphone apps to learn the language could be alternative options. “Being able to speak Korean enables children to have more opportunities and experiences in life,” Lee said. “In fact, one of my students even have gone on to become a singer in Korea. Others were able to obtain jobs as book translators. Even the ones in other fields could receive incentives in pay if they have additional linguistic skills.” Ellie Kim, one of the parents at the seminar, said: “My child has always enjoyed Korean drama and has heard from people around us that his Korean is excellent, but when we visited Korea last year, I was shocked that he couldn’t even read a simple menu at a restaurant. This seminar definitely gave me a lot of useful information.” By Nakhee Park

2017.02.09. 17:18

(코리아타운뉴스) Winter Rain Drilling More Potholes

As the rain continues to pour across Southern California, potholes are increasing on the streets. A pothole on Seventh and Vermont is filled up by rain on Feb. 7 afternoon. By Sang Jin Kim

2017.02.08. 17:24