LA Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell visited Koreatown on October 9 to meet with Korean American community leaders and discuss key issues including immigration enforcement, homelessness, and local safety concerns. The meeting, organized by the LA Korean American Federation, was held at the federation’s headquarters and attended by Robert Ahn, the federation’s president, along with several major association heads.
Addressing recent federal immigration enforcement actions, Bass said the city is working closely with community organizations to provide Korean-language information on immigrant rights. She also highlighted the city’s Represent LA initiative, which offers free or low-cost legal services to low-income immigrants.
McDonnell reaffirmed that the LAPD has maintained a long-standing policy—dating back to 1979—of not participating in federal immigration operations. He emphasized that when police officers are present at ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity sites, their role is solely to ensure public safety rather than assist in enforcement.
On homelessness, Bass said the city must prioritize using idle public land to expand affordable shelters rather than relying on temporary conversions of hotels or motels. She also called for policy improvements to enable mandatory treatment for individuals with severe mental illness and to prevent new homelessness caused by tenant evictions.
Responding to concerns about graffiti and vandalism in Koreatown, McDonnell said prosecutors are increasing case referrals and pursuing tougher sentences to deter repeat offenders.
During the discussion, Yongho Kim, president of the Korean Restaurant Association of Southern California, raised complaints about unlicensed street vendors and unsanitary food preparation. Olympic Division Captain Rachel Rodriguez noted that the city is coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Bureau of Street Services to strengthen enforcement against illegal street vending.
Other attendees included Steve Kang, chair of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works, Byungmo Jung of OKTA LA, Joongchil Kim of the Korean American Grocers Association of California, Irene Lee of the Korean Prosecutors Association, and Mihyang Kim, vice president of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles (KACCLA).
However, some participants criticized both the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD for failing to produce tangible results, noting that problems such as homelessness, graffiti, illegal street vending, and safety issues have persisted for years despite repeated discussions and promises of improvement.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
