[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMEMORATING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1992 LOS ANGELES RIOTS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 24, 2002

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 10th 
anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, one of the worst events of 
its kind in our history and the first multiracial one in the United 
States.
  Thousands of people and businesses were devastated by the three days 
of rioting and looting, which began on April 29, 1992. Fifty-eight 
people died, 2,400 were injured, and 11,700 were arrested. Damages 
totaled $717 million. In less than 24 hours, 1,000 fires seized Los 
Angeles, causing flight delays and cancellations. Governor Pete Wilson 
deployed 6,000 National Guard troops at the request of Mayor Tom 
Bradley. President George Bush sent 5,500 military troops and law 
enforcement specialists and put the National Guard under federal 
command.
  The Korean American community in Los Angeles, which is home to the 
largest Korean population outside of Seoul, sustained the most damages. 
Korean Americans lost more than half of their 3,100 businesses in Los 
Angeles, with damages totaling more than $350 million. Out of the 200 
liquor stores that were destroyed during the riots, 175 were Korean-
owned. A survey, conducted by the Korean American Inter-Agency Council 
10 months after the riots, found that out of 1,500 respondents, about 
75 percent had yet to recover from the riots' after effects, including 
post-traumatic stress disorder, temporary memory loss, and suicidal 
tendencies. Some families moved back to Korea, declared bankruptcy, or 
permanently relocated their businesses to safer areas.
  Korean Americans termed the tragic three days as Sa-ee-gu, which 
literally translates into the numbers 4.29, the first date of the 
riots. It is common for Koreans to refer to historically and 
politically significant events by their dates. Immediately following 
the riots, the Korean American community and its supporters held the 
largest Korean American demonstration in the United States. It 
signified the birth of a community shaken but standing firm in 
demanding its fair share of the riot relief funds, adequate 
representation in government, corporate responsibility, and accurate 
media coverage.
  A decade after the riots, the Korean American community vividly 
recalls the destruction and mayhem of those three days. But more 
importantly, this community has risen from the ashes to reclaim their 
space in American society and regain their dignity as Americans through 
unprecedented levels of civic participation and heightened political 
consciousness. The 1992 Los Angeles Riots forced the Korean American 
community to face a grim reality, but the future holds a community that 
has been strengthened and made wiser by this experience. The community 
is in the process of building its political leadership and establishing 
the infrastructure and resources necessary to stand up for themselves 
in times of trouble and gain recognition in times of triumph.
  Today, I join the Korean American community in Los Angeles and 
nationwide to commemorate the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and to celebrate 
the spirit and determination of Korean Americans throughout the 
country.

                          ____________________