A $20,000 grant from the Korean Foundation was awarded to UC Riverside’s Young Oak Kim (YOK) Center for Korean American Studies in support of the conference, “Confronting Sa-I-Gu: 20 Years After Koreatown Burned.” The symposium, which will take place on April 28, marks the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, which had an immense impact on Koreatown.
During the conference, the social, political and cultural implications of the 1992 riots will be further examined, and an overall evaluation of the future of Koreatown will take place, as stated in an article by the UC Riverside Newsroom.
Edward Chang, director of the Young Oak Kim Center at UC Riverside, believes, “the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest was a turning point for Korean Americans. It’s important for us to remember and learn from events like these so that we can move forward and not continue to make the same mistakes that ignited the riots in 1992.” Chang will be among the many leaders to speak during the event.
According to the UC Riverside Newsroom article, the conference will display three panels with speakers who will discuss the following topics: Perspectives, Tales from the Frontline; Transformations, Where is our Community Today; and Looking Ahead, a round-table discussion.
The riots occurred over a span of six days beginning on April 29, 1992, in response to the acquittal of four police officers for the beating of a black motorist. During the riots, a total of 53 people died, over 2,000 more were injured, and damages to businesses and other property amounted to a staggering $1 billion.
