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Two women are rescued by a U.S. Navy helicopter in New Orleans on Monday/AP
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The unique sense of solidarity with their own Koreans display in adversity is once again in evidence amid the disaster wrought by hurricane Katrina. Korean-Americans from all over the U.S. are spontaneously taking up collections to help Koreans hurt in the hurricane, and many are opening their homes to take in fellow Koreans who have nowhere to go.
The ethnic Korean community of devastated New Orleans numbers about 2,500. Most are now staying at nearby Korean-American churches or homes rather than refugee centers. Some 100 Koreans are sheltered at a Korean Baptist church in Baton Rouge, 100 km away.
The Korean Association of Baton Rouge is organizing the community into four-man teams to supply meals for the victims, and providing bedding for 20 people in the church every night. The small church went broke after just five days, but more and more people are coming.
Kim Sung-dae, the chairwoman of the Korean Association of Baton Rouge, has opened his home not only to refugees but to Korean Foreign Ministry officials and reporters covering the disaster as well.
Americans, who consider it natural to head to a hotel or evacuation facility when they leave their homes, are surprised by the Korean community bestowing warmth on strangers simply because they are of the same ethnicity. It’s a phenomenon that is hard to find within other ethnic groups in the U.S., they say. They are also amazed that a government team from Korea has set up a headquarters in a foreign disaster zone to help.
Korean associations across the U.S. are organizing collections for fellow Koreans hurt by Katrina. Some 20 Korean organizations in Washington D.C. will conduct a campaign throughout September. In Los Angeles and Chicago, campaigns are being organized by way of Korean-language broadcasters. In Houston, housewives collecting in front of a Korean food shop had raised US$6,500 as of Monday. They will use the money to buy instant noodles, kimchi and other necessities for Korean refugee facilities.
But with estimated property losses in excess of US$100 million, Koreans in the affected area are on the verge of losing the foundation of the American dream they worked so hard to achieve. Lee Sang-ho, the head of the committee coping with the New Orleans Koreans hurt by Katrina, said, "About 180 Korean businesses and 800 Korean homes were damaged or destroyed... Even when you include the payouts for those Koreans who had flood insurance, it appears the total losses of the Korean community will exceed $100 million."
But Min Dong-seok, the Korean consul-general in Houston, has some good news. "A survey of disaster sites like Biloxi, Mississippi so far shows that there have been no human losses among the Korean community," he said.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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