(코리아타운 뉴스) Businesses Can Reject ICE Inspections

The L.A. Korean Chamber of Commerce (KCC LA) and Koreatown Immigrant Workers Association (KIWA) held a seminar to educate local business owners about preparing for the U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) investigations on Aug. 3. About 50 attendees are listening to the lecture. “ICE agents must have a warrant from the court to search private properties.” Business owners and the immigrant community as a whole are fearing the expansion of investigations held by ICE to clamp down on illegal immigrants working in the country. To better educate the businesspeople, KCC LA and KIWA held the seminar at the Korean Education Center in L.A. Asian Americans Advancing Justice attorney Katt Choi was the lecturer at the seminar. She discussed ▶current trends in immigration investigations ▶auditing I-9 ▶how to respond to sudden investigations on short notice. “ICE has expanded its investigations beyond the ethical limit,” said Choi. “Business owners must be aware of their rights to respond to this properly.” ◆Current trends During former President Barrack Obama’s term, there were groups of illegal immigrants who were prioritized to be deported. However, the Trump administration are simply deporting all illegal immigrants without such a list. ICE agents are now checking up on everyone’s immigration status when carrying out their sudden investigations. When it is confirmed that anyone does not have legal status, those people are immediately arrested. Recently, even green card holders without criminal records or beneficiaries of DACA are increasingly finding themselves getting arrested. The duration of deporting an illegal immigrant is also being shortened. Choi added that while the state government and the LAPD are not assisting ICE, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is cooperating with the investigations. ◆I-9 audits I-9 audits are done to make sure businesses are not employing illegal immigrants. The paperwork for I-9 must be kept for at least three years or for a year since leaving a job. Violating this policy could lead to prosecution. ◆Sudden investigations ICE agents are often raiding businesses to carry out their investigations. However, they must possess a warrant issued by the court to inspect areas labeled as “staff only” by its entrance. Businesses have the right to refuse ICE agents to enter “staff only” areas if there is no warrant. To do that, the business owner must know how to differentiate paperwork issued by the court. A paperwork issued internally by ICE simply contains the names of the agents. However, paperwork issued by the court provides information including the name of the judge, court and the issue date. Any paperwork that is not issued by the court cannot be used by ICE agents to conduct searches. Choi also advised that employees at the business have the right to remain silent and that may even be the best way to react to investigations. Responding without legal representation could work against the employees. “Not all ICE agents have the right to enter, arrest or investigate any property,” Choi said. “Business owners not only should know what their rights are, but they should also educate their employees in advance.” Inquiries in Korean: 800-867-3640 By Sungchul Jin

2017.08.07. 16:57

(코리아타운 뉴스) Drivers Frustrated Over Reckless Bikers

A collision between a car and bicycle on Aug. 3 at around 10:30 p.m. in Los Angeles Koreatown’s Hobart Boulevard and Sixth Street prompted violence from those involved in the accident. Local television network KTLA and several other media outlets reported that a flurry of bikers were passing through the state. They kept crossing the intersection even after the traffic light turned red. The drivers who were waiting for the street to open up were obviously left frustrated. One of those drivers, in a white BMW, began driving through the intersection and collided with a biker. The driver reportedly drove over the biker’s leg. When he tried to flee, the other bikers stopped the car and pulled him out. The bikers strangled the driver until the police arrived later. Residents and business owners in Koreatown have been in a longstanding standoff with bikers on the road. Both drivers and bikers in the area have said that they are negligent on the road. While drivers have to react sensitively to nearby bikers given their inevitable vulnerability, bikers feel threatened by the presence of drivers around them as well. “Koreatown does not have enough lanes for bikers,” said Kim, 25, who rides his bicycle to Koreatown for work. “Drivers here are often vicious. Bicycles are obviously slower than cars. When cars start honking their horns at me, I feel threatened.” Choi, 51, who drives through Koreatown every morning, said: “It drives me crazy when I see bicycles going around cars during rush hour when the traffic is heavy. I even had the urge to drive right at them when seeing them ride their bicycles in circles in the middle of the road. They sometimes go in multiple directions and do whatever they want.” It is also true that drivers must have the responsibility to understand the Bicyclist Rights (CVC 21200), according to the L.A. County. All bicycles must be ridden by an able-bodied person. When riding at night, they must have a visible light on with a red light in the rear to alert the nearby drivers about their presence. When riding on the road, bicycles are advised to be on the lane on the far right. Drivers must stay at least three feet away from bicycles. If not, a fine of $35 could be imposed on them. Drivers also cannot invade the bike lane. When an accident occurs, they must call the police and contact their insurance company immediately. “An accident between a car and bicycle must be reported to both the police and insurance company,” said an insurance agent. “It’s also really important to make sure that there are witnesses.” Accidents between cars and bicycles often occur between 7 and 8 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m., according to police reports. Meanwhile, some conmen disguised bikers are on the road in and around L.A. to draw contact with cars. Lee, 43, who was exiting a market in Koreatown last weekend, said: “I was driving through the exit slowly, but a Hispanic biker suddenly appeared in front of me and fell. We didn’t even make contact, but he kept talking. I had $80 in cash at the time. I just handed that over to him and left. He seemed like a con artist for sure.” CAPTION: By Woosoo Lee

2017.08.07. 16:55

(코리아타운 뉴스 ) Employees, Not Public Officials Issues Tickets Excessively

The city of Los Angeles is reportedly clamping down on inspecting wastes from various local businesses, sending a clear warning to many of their owners. While the inspection duties are carried out, the employees hired by the city on a part-time basis have been given the authority to issue citation to the businesses, prompting a fierce controversy. L.A.’s Department of Public Works (DPW) has been undergoing its RecycLA campaign since July. The purpose of the campaign is to revamp how trash is being thrown away by businesses. The DPW has divided the city into 11 regions and has consulted a company to collect the waste from each of the areas. The controversy stemmed from this very process as the company hired by the city is now accused of having excessive authority. In other words, the employees of that company is issuing tickets to business, instead of public workers. Business owners in Downtown L.A.’s San Pedro Street said that the City of L.A. Bureau of Street Services is issuing tickets with fines of $300 to business who has violated the law. “Many of the businesses around us were given tickets for simply leaving some boxes in front of their stores,” said Chang-hwan Choi, who is running a flower shop in downtown. “There is no proof that the boxes were theirs, but the tickets were issued regardless. One of the employees at the business were asked about his immigration status for no apparent reason.” Another business owner, only identified by his last name Kim, said: “The inspector suddenly came in and asked why the trash on the street wasn’t removed. He then issued a ticket. I asked where he came from, but he simply replied that he doesn’t have to answer my question. I first thought it was a fraud.” In fact, the tickets are causing confusion among the business owners. Although the ticket was issued by the city of L.A., those who received it are being asked to send the fine to the Citation Processing Center in Newport Beach. The ticket also states that a failure to pay the fine could result in ▶report to California Franchise Tax Board ▶loss of assets ▶other legal actions against the business. Some business owners have since accused the tickets as a fraud scheme. The Korea Daily contacted the Bureau of Street Services (BSS) for clarification. “The city has hired a company to inspect how the waste is being disposed on the streets of L.A.,” said Genesis Godoy of the BSS. “No other city employees other than immigration department officers have the right to ask about someone’s immigration status. We’re going to consult the police department to look into this matter even further.” DPW’s Alena Stern said: “It’s possible that the fines for the ticket could be sent to an address outside of L.A. The business owners also have to understand that they have the obligation to keep the area around their stores as clean as possible. When asked to clean up the area, the businesses have the obligation to follow suit.” Currently, the city of L.A. has selected seven companies to carry out its duties stemming from the current campaign. Until recently, the BBS only collected disposals from single homes or apartments with four units or less. Under the new law, however, the system has been revamped to increase the number of recyclable waste. Meanwhile, the companies selected by the city are ▶Athens (West L.A.•North Central•Harbor) ▶Calmet (Eastern downtown) ▶NASA (Downtown) ▶Republic (Northeastern valley •South L.A.) ▶UWS(Northeastern L.A.) ▶WARE (Southeastern L.A.) ▶Waste Management (Valley). ▶Inquiry: (800) 773-2489 By Yeol Jang

2017.08.04. 17:24

(코리아타운 뉴스) “Drug Factory” GangIncluding Three Koreans Arrested

A group of men who created a factory to manufacture illegal drugs has recently been arrested. Three of them are reportedly Koreans. Police investigation began when a car was stolen from a Lexus dealership about a week ago. Longo Lexus reported that its LX 460 had been stolen. The vehicle was later found parked on a street in Hacienda Heights in front of a residential home. That is when El Monte police requested to inspect the house on July 31 at around 1 p.m., but the tenants apparently refused their entrance. Policemen were extremely suspicious and soon were issued a warrant to search the home. They later found a substantial amount of cannabis oil inside the home, proverbially known as the “honey oil,” which is popular for its long lasting effect in comparison to the regular cannabis. Police also found substances inside the home that are used to manufactured cannabis oil. The materials found in the house are reportedly worth around $1.8 million. The arrested men had rented the large home to manufacture and sell the cannabis oil. Special investigations division was called to inspect the home as some substances there were deemed hazardous. The five men were immediately arrested. David Byung Kim, 38, Michael Myungun Choi, 31, and Andrew Euiyong Kim, 26, were the Korean men. The bail for five men is rated at $75,000 per head. They have apparently been bailed out since the arrest. By Wonhee Cho

2017.08.04. 17:23

(코리아타운 뉴스) Yoo Was Drunk and High on Cocaine

After further police investigations, the murder of a Korean-American man by his wife, Mi-sun Yoo, happened while she was intoxicated on alcohol and cocaine. Yoo is facing indictment on first degree murder. “Yoo denied her crime at the time when she was arrested,” said the LAPD. “The fingerprint on the knife matched with Yoo’s, but she insisted that her hand got on the knife while trying to take the knife out of her husband’s hand.” Investigation afterwards revealed that Yoo swung the knife at her husband just once, although it was initially reported that she did so multiple times. The knife penetrated through the victim’s chest and pierced through his heart. The number of times Yoo stabbed her husband is critical, as doing so once may be seen as accidental. Stabbing a victim multiple times will inevitably be seen as a premediated criminal act. The fact that the victim was stabbed with a kitchen knife also leaves the chances of Yoo killing him by accident open for interpretation. “Yoo may not have made the right decision as she was on alcohol and drug,” said attorney James Kim. “If she just swung the knife once, it may end up being a second degree murder, which could imprison her for a minimum of 15 years. If it’s revealed that her husband attacked her first and Yoo was simply defending herself, the penalty may even be smaller.” Yoo, who is detained in Lynwood, has her bail rated at $2 million. Readers are showing interest in the difference between types of murder after Yoo’s crime has been reported. Lawyer David Kim helped the Korea Daily detail the difference between first and second degree murder. ※First Degree Murder First degree murder requires the high level of punishment as the assailant must have been ruled to have committed the crime with clear intentions and plans. It includes assailants who ▶purposely waited to harm the victim ▶kidnapped the victim ▶used knife, gun or other weapons on multiple occasions ▶planned the crime in advance ▶used a critical weapon. First degree murder requires at least 25 years of imprisonment. Bail is common rated from $1 to $2 million. ※Second Degree Murder Second degree murder is for a case when an assailant committed the crime without premeditated intentions. Second degree murder describes a situation when an assailant ▶lost control of oneself due to alcohol or drugs ▶murders someone amid extreme anger ▶murders someone after a onetime use of a weapon. Second degree murder requires at least 15 years of imprisonment and there is a potential of being prematurely released on parole. By Woosoo Lee

2017.08.03. 14:37

(코리아타운 뉴스) The Beauty of Eating Alone

Maybe it is a new lifestyle for the younger generation? Is it a byproduct of those who struggle with their sociability? The trending lifestyle among young people nowadays was created from those who are simply too tired to network with others for the sake of networking. The debate on whether or not eating alone is beneficial still remains fierce. However, a recent study conducted in Holland revealed that it is not eating alone that poses a risk anyone. The real risk lies in the danger of people who are accumulate stress when eating with others. “People who are easily stressed during meals tend to have high blood sugar level,” the research read. “It is extremely difficult them to be satisfied after a meal in that case. That could eventually trigger physical and emotional effects.” In essence, today’s young people consider eating with others as a stressful experience. The trend of more people eating on their own also means that the world now values individual privacy over interacting with others. A 23-year-old man who works in Los Angeles Koreatown, only identified by his last name Kim, genuinely enjoys eating alone. “Lunchtime is the only period of my day in which I can actually rest,” Kim said. “It’s difficult to spend that time with others. I’m not sure what value is there in involving myself in small talk with others. I’d rather just think for myself and read during lunchtime.” The trend is not just limited to Koreans. Compared to 1960s, the number of Americans who often eat on their own have tripled by the 90s. In 2015, an average American spent half of their total mealtime throughout the day on his or her own as 60 percent of those who took part in the survey said that they eat alone regularly. Lunchtime has long been considered as a time to interact and network in the U.S., but 45 percent said they have lunch by themselves, while 65 percent said they either eat on their own or not have lunch at all. The motivation behind this trend could be explained by the rising demand for younger people to secure more time for themselves. “Once you reach your 40s or 50s, there comes a time when you’re just tired of building relationships at workplaces and even at home,” said 48-year-old Choi, who even drinks on his own at least once or twice a week. “I don’t often have time to reflect on my own as I’m busy dealing with other people. When I eat or drink on my own, I can actually take the time for myself.” However, experts said that eating alone can result in some serious health consequences. A study conducted by Yonsei University last year revealed that those who eat on their own are 2.4 times more likely to feel depressed than those who eat with family and friends. The likelihood of feeling depressed increases significantly if eating by oneself is forced rather than voluntary. “The world may have changed, but it’s still better to eat with someone else,” said 55-year-old Kim. “Eating alone is not really a meal. It’s merely a way to satisfy hunger. At least that’s how I feel when I eat by myself, but it’s also true that I sometimes act like I’m listening to other people speak and pretend like I agree with them when I have to eat with someone else.” Family counselors advised that even those who eat on their own should spend at least 20 minutes in one sitting for a meal. They also said that it is better to avoid watching TV, smartphone or tablets while eating. CAPTION: By Jiyoon Kim

2017.08.03. 14:35

(코리아타운 뉴스) An Elderly Man Kills Himself

A Chinese-American man in his 60s shot and killed himself in front of the Chinese Consulate near Los Angeles Koreatown around 6 a.m. Tuesday. Multiple gunshots were fired near Shatto Place. When the policemen reported to the scene, the man was found dead. No other victims in relation to the shooting was reported. “A Chinese-American man in his 60s shot and killed himself near the entrance of the consulate,” said LAPD officer Drake Madison. “We haven’t identified other victims from the shooting.” Investigation by the LAPD is currently underway to identify the motivation behind the shooting. By Woosoo Lee

2017.08.03. 10:10

(코리아타운 뉴스) Korean Bank Presidents Attend Investor Relations

Presidents of Korean-American banks are actively seeking investor relations after finishing up the second quarter of 2017. Hanmi, Open and CBB have sent their presidents to community bank investment conference, hosted by KBW, which began in New York City on Tuesday. The leaders of those institutions are making an effort to identify current trends of the financial industries, including merger and acquisition, developing networks and finding sources of investments. Notably, CBB and Open Bank are pursuing opportunities to go public in the near future. That is apparently why CBB Bank president Joanne Kim and Open Bank president Min Kim are aggressively promoting their banks in Manhattan this week. Hanmi Bank president Chong-guk Kum is also at the event to explore opportunities to find long term investors. “I attended the event with the ultimate goal of meeting investors from organizations with a long term vision to make investments,” said Kim. “I’m trying my best to promote CBB.” Sources within the financial industry said that many investors are expressing an interest in Korean banks as they are impressed with their performances. “Investing is obviously beneficial when it’s done while the economy is in a good state,” said one anonymous source. “When the conditions aren’t so great in a rapidly changing environment, investing could backfire, so there’s definitely a cautious factor involved as well.” By Sung Chul Jin

2017.08.03. 10:09

(코리아타운 뉴스) Fake Startup Entrepreneur Indicted

A young, Silicon Valley-based Korean-American startup entrepreneur was indicted for his “fake life” over the years. Only after a year since launching his business, the man had apparently forged bank documents amid struggles over financial difficulties, despite dreaming of running a billion dollar business. The news comes as an alarming sign for first and second generation Korean-American businesspeople as many of them have been actively seeking employment at startup companies. Isaac Choi, 36, was indicted Tuesday on five charges, including telephone banking fraud, stemming from his firm, WrkRiot, a startup business designed to help people of Silicon Valley to network for potential employment opportunities. Choi allegedly promoted himself with lies about WrkRiot’s financial capacity as well as his own educational and financial background to seek employees for the company, according to the Department of Justice. He also allegedly forged a bank document as he struggled to pay his employees. WrkRiot has been closed since then, but Choi insisted on falsely informing his employees that he was going to fund the business with foreign investments. In June 2015, Choi initially founded 1For in Silicon Valley. After employing 20 people, many of whom were Koreans and Chinese, he changed the name of the firm to WrkRiot. According to the victims, Choi has been telling the employees that he earned his MBA from New York University and that he worked as an analyst for JP Morgan for four years in the past. However, Choi’s claims were revealed as lies when one of his employees, a marketing director, filed a lawsuit against him for unpaid wages. “The wages kept getting delayed and once I sued him, I was fired,” said Penny Kim. “As the employees’ frustration continued to grow, [Choi] forged a bank document in August last year and emailed it to all of us.” Choi was then accused of a bank fraud for forging the documents, prompting FBI and police investigations. That is when it was revealed that he has been presenting false information about himself over the last several years in a desperate attempt to catapult his business into prominence. “I can’t explain in detail until Choi is proven guilty,” said trial attorney Rush Atkinson. “However, instability stemming from startup businesses has affected many victims in recent years. Jobseekers are advised to be mindful when they’re in the market.” In fact, what may seem like a bright spotlight that is on many startups also casts a dark shadow. Recent studies have found that only 10 out of 100 startups survive after three years since their foundation. An average of only one in every 100 managed to go public within six years. Not too long ago, prominent startups Theranos, game developer Lumo Labs and selfie drone developer Lily Robotics all closed down over financial struggles, false advertisements and investment frauds. “What the victims from WrkRiot experienced is probably something many startup employees have faced on many occasions,” said a startup investor. “They have to understand that startups do manage to get large funding, but they do sometimes tend to rely on money from close family and friends to make ends meet.” By Yeol Jang

2017.08.03. 9:46

(코리아타운 뉴스) Ten-Story Hotel to Replace Koreatown Post Office

The blueprint of the construction for hotel development in Los Angeles Koreatown has been released. The Department of City Planning in L.A. unveiled the rendering of the property set to be built at 3751 West Sixth Street, a location where the Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office currently occupies on Sixth and Harvard. The project, led by Auburn Commons, will be a 34,589 square-foot property with 10 stories. The hotel will offer 200 rooms, while a 44-unit apartment and 18,000 square-foot commercial are will also be available. Also, the building will offer a parking space for 205 vehicles and 205 bicycles. The developer purchased the location for $14 million last May. The construction is scheduled to start in 2019 and will finish during the first quarter of 2021. Currently, a post office is occupying the space. The current lease ends this month. By Hyunwoo Kim

2017.08.01. 16:45

(코리아타운 뉴스) Wife Murders Husband in Koreatown

A 26-year-old wife reportedly murdered her 31-year-old husband in their Los Angeles Koreatown home on July 30 at around 5 a.m. The husband was stabbed to death. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported to the couple’s apartment at 1100 South Menlo Avenue after learning about the incident in the early Sunday morning. By the time the policemen arrived at the apartment, Tae-kyung Sung—better known as Andy—was found dead with multiple wounds, caused with a kitchen knife, on his chest. Mi-sun Yoo was arrested on the scene on the accusation of first degree murder. “Someone who saw Yoo walking into her house while covered in blood from stabbing her husband called the police,” said LAPD homicide Lt. John Radtke. “Both Sung and Yoo were intoxicated on alcohol at the time of the incident. If the stabbing was motivated by domestic violence, there’s also a possibility that Yoo’s murder of Sung could be a justified self-defense.” It was since been learned that Yoo and Sung both worked in the merrymaking business of L.A. Koreatown for many years, according to sources close to the couple. Sung, a first generation immigrant, worked as a manager at a Koreatown karaoke before he became an executive manager at a prominent Korean nightclub on Wilshere Boulevard three weeks ago. Yoo immigrated to the United States in recent years. She has since worked as a karaoke doumi, a Korean term for a hostess who is hired to sing and dance for men, before leaving the business after her marriage with Sung at the end of last year. The couple has reportedly lived at the apartment since April. The tenants at the apartment testified that the couple often consumed alcohol late at night and that both came home relatively late. “On the day of the murder, Yoo visited the club where Sung works,” said one of the sources. “They were apparently enjoying alcohol before coming home together.” On the note found on the wall of the couple’s home, they apparently agreed to ▶respect one another ▶limit consuming alcohol and playing video games ▶always side with one another ▶never express anger together ▶always let the partner win ▶never call one’s family after getting into an argument. At least on the surface, the couple was trying to build a trust in their relationship. Yoo’s bail is currently rated at $2 million. She is set to face indictment this month. By Woosoo Lee and Jaera Kim

2017.08.01. 16:43

(코리아타운 뉴스) Tenants Evicted At Doubled Rate

The number of households evicted from their apartments in and around Los Angeles have doubled since last year, according to a recent report. As of halfway point this year, 638 households were evicted from apartments in the L.A. region. During the same period last year, only 294 households were evicted from their homes. “Landlords have the unconditional right to evict tenants who aren’t protected by rent control,” said CES executive director Larry Gross. “Something has to be done to stop landlords from evicting tenants for the purpose of increasing their rent.” Gross added: “An average of seven households are evicted on a daily basis in L.A. There has to be a solution for people who’ve lost their homes as their means for survival must be protected.” The city government is currently considering strengthening the Ellis Act, a California state law that prohibits landlords from evicting tenants. The law was created in 1985 to stop landlords from evicting tenants to raise the rent for higher profit. The Ellis Act initially stipulated that landlords who evict tenants must turn their apartments into a condominium or else run the risk of not being allowed to rent the same unit for the next five years. The new Ellis Act now requires landlords who rent the affected unit within five years must pay a fine in addition to the ban that prohibits them from renting that unit for another five years. L.A. City Councilman Gil Cedillo is currently reviewing the prospects of implementing a law that will require all landlords to cite a convincing reason when evicting tenants. The new law, if implemented, will stipulate that the landlords are required to provide reasonable proof for evicting tenants, including documents to prove that the tenants have repeated made late payments. According to the city government, 85 percent of the apartments within the city are subject to the law. By Woosoo Lee

2017.07.31. 15:27

(코리아타운 뉴스) “It’s Always All or Nothing”

The team consists of the married couple, their children, son- and daughter-in-law. It encompasses two generations as all six of them are licensed within the same industry. The father, mother and daughter have the real estate broker license, while the others possess the agent license. This is the story of New Star Realty & Investment Group, founded and owned by Mun-ki Nam. “We’re a family of brokers,” the 64-year-old chairman said. “My wife, Jenny, has also represented our firm for 28 years.” Founded on Sept. 25, 1988, today’s New Star Realty started out as Realty World New Star. Now nearing its 30th anniversary, the firm is operating a real estate school, advertisement agency, IT business, investment group, management and escrow companies across 30 branches with around 1,000 employees. The couple’s son and daughter, Alex and Amy, also joined the team a few years ago. Amy, 32, is now the CEO of the escrow company since joining the firm four years ago. Initially, Nam was hoping his daughter to turn to politics as she studied sociology at UC Riverside. He felt the need for a female Korean-American politician after serving as the member of the Korean-American Federation of L.A., Federation of Korean Associations USA and Korean-American Chamber of Commerce. In fact, Amy once served as the assistant for a state assemblyman for two years in the past. “Politics is no fun,” she said. “It didn’t suit me. So I told my father that I’d rather focus on family business, while he focuses on the political side of things.” Alex, 34, has been working for other companies, but he has now joined the family business. He does not have a job title yet, but is working as an agent at the moment. “I’m long ways off from catching my father in terms of his leadership and experience,” Alex said. “If the right opportunity comes and I have the qualities to do it, I’d like to manage our company. I’m studying hard to be able to do that.” Sergio Sung, the son-in-law of the family, is also currently gaining field experience after years of working as a manager at an apparel business. “It’s true that I was a little late on thinking about passing our family business onto our children,” said Jenny Nam, who is now in charge of the real estate school. “I do regret not bringing our children on a bit earlier. We’ve always felt bad about not doing enough to take care of them as we’ve been always busy with work. I’m just thankful that they’re working so hard to learn.” Nam came to Los Angeles in 1982, a year after he married his wife. He was a banker in South Korea after graduating from Konkuk University. At the time, $300 was all he had. Nam’s goal at first was to attend a school in the U.S., but he first had to make ends meet. He coincidentally found a job at a home cleaning company. It was a small company with just two other employees, but Nam’s diligence lifted the business into one of the best in town. Nam was soon known as the “master of cleaning.” The company was soon employing 65 people within four years. Soon after, Nam began to dream of a bigger goal. He wanted to get into real estate. He piqued his interest in properties while cleaning homes and buildings around L.A. Nam was different from the start. After obtaining his agent license in December 1987, Nam distinguished himself from other agents. He invested the $40,000 he saved from working as a cleaner. Nam also employed a secretary from his first day. He always had a name tag on him and began advertising himself in local newspapers with his picture attached. Nam reported to work by 7 a.m. and did not leave until late at night. To this day, he wears a white dress shirt, red tie and a jacket. On the pocket of his shirt, the world “attitude” is imprinted. “A clean and humble attitude always give a good first impression,” Nam said. “It’s inevitable that I always end up with more clients.” Nam also invests big on his scholarship business. Two weeks ago, New Star Realty held a ceremony for its 17th class of scholarship recipients. After starting out in 2001, 1,390 students have received a total of $1.3 million. Last May, Nam donated $100,000 to Konkuk University, his alma mater. Nam advises that his all-or-nothing approach is what helped him to achieve success. “It could be money, ability or effort,” Nam said. “The ones who fail always use little bit of different things they have. You can’t do that. You have to put everything on the line and give it your best shot. You have to be desperate to win.” Nam stresses the same mantra to his family. All or nothing. That is how the “broker family” enters the arena. By Moonho Kim

2017.07.31. 15:26

(코리아타운 뉴스) Newborn Korean Baby Dies After Two Months

Police have launched an investigation after a Korean baby was found dead only two months after he was born. Caleb Choi was found unable to breathe at his Staten Island home at 5:25 a.m. on July 25, his parents told the NYPD. Choi was quickly transported hospital, but was pronounced dead. Police believe that Choi passed away when his mother fell asleep while breastfeeding him. The cause of death is believed to be due to stopped breathing or sudden infant death syndrome. An autopsy will be conducted to confirm the accurate reason for Choi’s death. Woosoo Lee

2017.07.28. 15:57

(코리아타운 뉴스) Korean Parents Poorly Prepared For Children’s Tuition

Korean-American parents are comparatively unprepared to cover their children’s tuition, a recent report revealed. A report compiled by MassMutual revealed that an average Korean-American household saves $17,434 as of December 2016. That is lower than the overall average of $19,124. An average Chinese-American household has saved $29,219. In addition, around 40 percent of the Korean-American households simply do not save regularly to support their children’s higher education. Also, 58 percent of them rely on scholarships, not savings, to pay for the children’s tuition. “In Korean-American households, attending a college is perceived as the start of the American dream,” the report said. “However, the parents are showing tendency to prepare insufficiently for their children’s tuition. An average annual tuition at a four-year college is estimated at $20,090, but an average scholarship per student is only around $6,000 a year. So, the discrepancy between supply and demand for many Korean students obviously remains great. The report added that many Korean-American households lack enough information as they tend to rely on word of mouth from people they are already familiar with. Meanwhile, MassMutual is an American insurance company offering services and products tailor-made for various ethnic groups in the country. One of those tools include the college savings calculator (www.massmutual.com/planning/calculators/college-savings- calculator). Joeun Lee

2017.07.28. 15:55

(코리아타운 뉴스) “Not As Good As It Sounds…” Workplace Trap

A large number of Korean-American salarymen and women are suffering from their employers who have successfully created a line of communication that extends beyond work hours. Many of their employees admit that they feel excessive pressure when the bosses ask them to carpool together. Obviously, carpooling between coworkers also mean saving gas money and taking advantage of driving through the carpool lane, but the pressure stems from the inevitability of having to discuss work related materials outside of work. A San Fernando Valley resident who works in Los Angeles Koreatown carpools with his supervisor when he commutes. The 29-year-old said it is indeed uncomfortable to not only talk about work outside of work, but also because he has to refrain from making personal calls. “I want to call my girlfriend when I’m stuck in traffic,” he said. “My boss is sitting right next to me in the passenger’s seat, so I can’t even do that. I also really don’t want to hear about work related things outside of work. On days when my boss has a dinner appointment, drinking alcohol is often involved and I have to wait until the whole thing is over. Sometimes, it doesn’t even feel like I’m carpooling with someone. It feels more like being a cab driver.” Some are even planning on moving to another city only to stay away from carpooling with their bosses who live nearby. “My boss lives in my neighborhood,” said a Torrance resident, 25, who commutes to Koreatown. “There’s obviously a positive, such as saving gas money and taking the carpool lane to save time. So my boss proposed that we carpool. We’re supposed to switch drivers every week or month, but who knows if that promise will be kept? It’s also a hassle to try to match my schedule with someone else’s. When my current apartment lease is up, I plan on moving to a different city.” Employees say that they are often feeling pressured to accept their bosses’ demand when asked to carpool together. They also agreed that receiving work-related text messages beyond work hours puts them under huge stress. The technological advancements in recent years have enabled coworkers to be in constant communication. Some employees agreed that they are simply stressed out when receiving text messages from their bosses. “I do believe that it’s an efficient way to communicate when the text messages are exchanged during work hours,” one said. “Making demands via text messages beyond work hours, on the other hand, only frustrated people. Sometimes, I’m jealous of my coworkers from other departments who work under different bosses. I really hope my boss stops getting in contact with me outside of work hours.” Employees also admitted that they feel driven out of their comfort zones when bosses ask them to go out for drinks or to report to work on weekends. Woosoo Lee

2017.07.28. 15:54

(코리아타운 뉴스) Hye-Kyo Song’s NYC Condo On Sale

South Korean actress Hye-kyo Song has put her New York City condominium on sale after purchasing the property in 2008 under her own name. Song put her property, located in Hell’s Kitchen between Eighth and Ninth Avenues (322 West 57th Street, 33P2), for $1.9 million in March. Since then, the price has been lowered by 6 percent to $1.8 million as of July 26. A part of the upscale residential complex The Sheffield, Song’s condominium unit is 1,112 square feet. It has spacious living room and kitchen with one and a half restrooms and a bedroom. It is within a few minutes away from Central Park, Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle and Fifth Avenue. During her time there, Song was neighbors with some of the wealthiest South Koreans business owners, including Doosan Group chairman Yong-man Park, Aekyung Group chairwoman Young-shin Chang and Nongshim vice chairman Dong-won Shin. Song initially purchased the condo in 2008 for $1.7 million without mortgaging it. Her all cash purchase of the property garnered significant attention at the time. She was once beleaguered for failing to pay $7935.74 in maintenance fees in March 2014, but the payments were made in full by September in the same year. The condo has been put on sale since April last year, but has yet to find a new owner. Its listing price was once as high as $2.2 million, but has now dropped by 14.7 percent in just a year. Joeun Lee

2017.07.27. 17:26

(코리아타운 뉴스) Koreatown Parking Lots Ignoring Laws

Some parking structures in Los Angeles Koreatown have stooped into becoming lawless areas as inconsiderate drivers are freely getting their way. In many of those parking lots, parked vehicles are often seen blocking pathways. Loading and unloading passengers while blocking other cars has already become common. “Parking structures of many malls in Koreatown are narrow in space,” said a Korean man who was driving through one of the lots. “It’s difficult to navigate through the parking lots. Drivers sometimes have to wait until someone else simply allows them to drive through, but I always see them loading and unloading their passengers as they’re blocking someone’s way. It’s true that the drivers in Koreatown lack consideration for others.” The parking situation is dire at bigger Koreatown malls with large scale supermarkets. “A lot of drivers leave their shopping cars right by the parking space before driving away,” said a Korean woman who was shopping at a mall recently. “I often had to get out of my car to move the cart away to park. Another problem is when people don’t respect the lines drawn between the parking spaces and make it impossible for others to park in an open spot.” Some drivers openly smoke inside of indoor parking structures. “Some people just smoke in underground parking lots as if they’re doing nothing wrong,” said another Korean woman who was pregnant. “I’m always worried about my baby’s health. I’m amazed that people still think it is fine to smoke inside of the building.” In Koreatown’s residential areas, some brazen drivers are parking on the sidewalk, prompting angry reaction from local residents. “It is not uncommon to see some drivers park on the sidewalk to avoid parking on the sun,” said a Koreatown resident. “They’re causing so much discomfort for the local community, but the law enforcement is doing nothing to prevent it.” The local residents are also disgruntled over some drivers who street park and occupy an area where multiple cars park without leaving rooms for others. The bigger problem is that some of those cars remain unmoved for weeks.

2017.07.27. 17:25