[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[May 7, 1992]
[Pages 719-724]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks in a Roundtable Discussion With Leaders of the Korean Community 
in Los Angeles

May 7, 1992
    The President. Are you going to say something, or do you want me to 
go ahead? Let me just say thank you to the community leaders assembled 
here. And let me single out Mr. Lee for his hospitality not just to us 
today, to Secretary Sullivan, the Governor, Senator Seymour, Secretary 
Kemp, Pat Saiki of SBA, but to so many.
    This place has become not just a command center in times of turmoil, 
turmoil that every American regrets. This President, I'll tell you, my 
heart aches for those who have lost their jobs. But this community is 
strong. I wish all you guys would walk with me--maybe you've been there 
and seen the volunteers in the next building. It's unbelievable, 200 out 
there this very day, 200 to be trained; 180 of the 200, I'm told, are 
CPA's willing to pitch in to help do what's necessary to reconstruct.
    I look at this in a very broad sense, not only in terms of families 
that were hurt but in terms of international. I think most people here 
will concede and rejoice in the fact that we have good relations with 
Korea, something I take great pride in, incidentally.
    I think people in Korea share the same hurt that all of us do when 
they look and see this community of enterprising individuals that David 
reminds us came here, what, some 25 years ago, some more recently; got 
in, grabbed a piece of the American dream, and built something. To see 
it shattered is not the American way. And I will do everything I can to 
show our friends abroad as well as here that it's not the American way. 
And with that in mind, it means I want to help. It means the Federal 
Government is prepared to help in every way we possibly can.
    I want to go back to the volunteer concept that I mentioned a minute 
ago. That is also part of the American way. I'm sure it's part of the 
Korean way as well. But when you see one American reaching out to 
another in times of hardship, that is one of the things I think is very 
precious about our society. And the spirit of those volunteers out 
there, it's amazing. One of them actually hit me up for a little 
donation. [Laughter] I might say I understood perfectly, and in a modest 
way was able to contribute to this volunteer sector.
    Let me just go into a couple of problems. This has been a command 
center. I understand that some in the community were unhappy by the 
location of the disaster relief center. And by early next week, that 
unhappiness should give way because we are going to have a new, 
acceptable location to serve the needs of the community. And I 
understand that not having forms in Korean is a problem, and now there's 
efforts going on to be sure that those forms are printed in a way that 
can be understood in Korean so they can be understood by those small 
family operators that have suffered because of these uncontrolled 
forces.
    We also realize that translators are a problem, and we are working 
to provide

[[Page 720]]

translators to help with disaster relief. And of course, once again I 
salute the community, because the community is doing some of that. I 
just noticed that in here in a volunteer sense. There is no way I can 
tell you how much I respect what Radio Korea has done. I happen to be 
sitting next to its boss. But I will simply say we applaud Radio Korea 
for the support that has constantly been given to the Korean community, 
the pride that this station reflects when it brings to others what the 
Korean-American community stands for. It is wonderful, and we're 
grateful to you, sir. And I think you've acted as a lifeline in a sense 
in this tragic situation. A couple of people told me that as I was 
walking in.
    Two immediate concerns, and then I want to hear from you the 
priorities. I want to be sure that while I'm here I don't overlook a 
priority. Two immediate concerns are: What will the Government do to 
bring about a speedy economic recovery, and what can we do to ease the 
awful racial tension? I spoke about it in a church today, Reverend E.V. 
Hill's church. I think all Americans have to be concerned about both 
those points.
    I want you to know that the situation in L.A. is on the minds of all 
Americans. It is not a local situation. What's happened here is not 
something that we saw for an ugly moment that'll be forgotten. We've got 
to continue to strive for racial harmony and for the elimination of 
discrimination wherever it occurs in this country. And I am thankful, of 
course, that the streets are safer, with kids back in school, and that 
businesses are reopening. But now we need to concentrate on a major 
rebuilding effort.
    I have signed, as I'm sure you all know, a declaration, a disaster 
declaration, having directed FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, and Mrs. Saiki and the Small Business Administration that she so 
ably heads to provide immediate assistance to the victimized parties. 
Pat can answer your questions, can give you much more of the detail 
there. But it is a very important Agency at this time.
    FEMA is providing grants for personal needs such as food and 
clothing and medicine, for minor home damage, and unemployment 
assistance to those who are now without jobs. Even though they have 
their own businesses, some are without work because those businesses 
were destroyed. We have an 800 assistance number that will also receive 
calls in six languages. The Korean community took it on the chin the 
most, I think, but others are hurting, too. So we, the Federal 
Government, and Governor Wilson, and the Mayor are trying to respond as 
best we can to all the hurt out there. The SBA is also making disaster 
loans available for business losses, for home damage. Those loans could 
total over $300 million. All told, the Federal aid to Los Angeles and 
the surrounding areas here could run in the range of about $600 million.
    Again, I am delighted to have this opportunity to come here. And I 
just hope you will tell those who are hurt that, one, we care, and two, 
we are trying our level-best to heal those wounds, to get people back on 
their feet again. Because when I think of what this country needs, it's 
more small businesses, it's more entrepreneurs, people that will come 
here and take a risk and hopefully earn their share of what we think of 
as the American dream.
    I know that this American dream is still real. I'm sure to a 
businessman, a wife and a husband, for example, whose business has been 
closed and brutalized and ruined, he might wonder: Well, what's it all 
about? What does this mean? We have got, you and I--maybe you all can do 
it best--is convince those people that are hurting that the American 
dream is for real. And you will rebuild, and we'll be a part of helping 
you.
    So that's what I wanted to say. And David, I'd love to hear from 
members of the community and what you think we might do to assist. But 
we care very, very much. And as I say, I want to be the President to 
take the signal out around, back to Korea itself, and say: Look, people 
got hurt in my country, good people, good citizens. But we're going to 
make them whole, and we're going to give them some hope.
    So now, I don't know what the schedule is----
    Participant. Open for questions and comments.
    The President. Fire away.

[A participant requested that aid for

[[Page 721]]

Korean-American victims go beyond standard disaster relief guidelines. 
Another participant spoke on cooperation among ethnic groups in the 
rebuilding effort.]

    The President. Thank you for your statement.

[A participant asked about the location of the FEMA office in Koreatown 
and the creation of enterprise zones.]

    The President. Let me answer the first one by saying I'm not sure. I 
know we are pledged to move it. I'm looking around for somebody to tell 
me what has been decided. But I know there's been unhappiness with the 
first. I have this statement saying we will change it. But you're 
saying, in this very building?
    Participant. Not actually. Next building. Next one across the 
street.
    The President. Well, let me record that and tell our FEMA people who 
is----
    Presidential Aide. Sir, we're going to be working with you to 
identify a suitable location. It is too premature to know exactly where 
it could be, but we want to work closely.
    The President. But they're asking that it could be right across the 
street. Well, let's see what we can do to consider it, if that's the 
general feeling. I don't know if everybody feels that way.
    Participant. That way we could communicate through radio. We have to 
mobilize people, mobilize volunteers, and we'd like to be close to the 
radio station. We would like to----
    The President. We're trying to. Incidentally, on one-stop shopping--
slightly different point--we've got a lot of Federal Agencies out here, 
and we want to have it as simple as possible. And that's why we have 
David Kearns and--out here, who are trying to coordinate the Federal 
effort. But thank you for the comment.
    On the second one, I wish I could tell you the answer. We are going 
to urge the Congress to move right away on a legislation. And believe 
me, it will certainly include the Korean community. This is a concept 
that I've heard about all day long today. It's something we've been 
advocating for a long, long time. We're now talking about the enterprise 
zones. That concept I think is an idea whose time has come. I'm seeing 
support publicly just in the last few days from people who have not 
supported it. I have said this is not a time for blame in terms of 
getting legislation going. But I can tell you, we feel much more 
optimistic, and we will be pushing hard to get it done. And the Korean-
American community is obviously going to have a piece of the action.

[A participant suggested scholarship assistance for victims' family 
members, an SBA hotline, and waiver of documentation requirements for 
SBA loans.]

    The President. Well, on waiving the requirements, I understand that 
some of the records are just going up in smoke, and therefore it's hard 
to have them.
    Participant. That's right.
    The President. Fortunately, we do have and would have access to the 
income tax returns. So, there will be a way to verify a lot of the 
claims. So, we hope we can get around this rigid requirement on that 
one.
    The SBA, I don't know on the hotline. I'll let Pat speak. We will 
have, I think it is six offices to not only respond for SBA but put this 
in what we call a one-stop shopping approach where you have programs 
from HUD, you've got programs from HHS, you have programs from various 
different Agencies that can assist different parts of all of this.
    On the third one, we believe that our approach to education is a 
good one, America 2000. And on scholarships, I don't know. Are you 
talking about a new scholarship program?
    Participant. The individuals who have suffered the damage, the 
parents, the Korean-American parents may be unable to pay for the 
education of their children. So can you set aside some fundings for 
their children?
    The President. Let me think about that one. I think we've got to be 
a little aware of the fact that there's a big demand for scholarship 
support all across the country. But whether it can be done on a set-
aside basis, I just don't know how the law reads. But let me take a 
look.

[A participant requested assistance for

[[Page 722]]

living expenses.]

    The President. Thank you. Thank you, David. On the food assistance, 
there are substantial amounts of food coming in through our Department 
of Agriculture. I hope that's arranged so it's fitting for the 
requirements that it will be distributed here.

[A participant spoke on Korean-American participation in government and 
in the rebuilding process.]

    The President. Good counsel. Thank you.

[A participant spoke on the magnitude of the losses, unfavorable media 
coverage, and the speed of the Federal response.]

    The President. Let me comment on that, if I might. I don't know how 
anybody who has not been through what you've been through can say they 
understand. I don't know that. I believe that the Federal Government 
response is fast. I'm told by Mayor Bradley, I'm told by the Governor 
that it's fast. It may not seem fast to somebody that is hurting----
    Participant. No, sir.
    The President. ----but it is fast. Pat Saiki was out here the very 
day it happened and has already started. So we will keep trying, and I 
just wanted you to know.
    I don't know about the demonstration last night. I know there were 
some nice political shots fired at me which I didn't appreciate 
particularly, but I understand also that it comes from people wanting to 
get something done. And that you were mistreated there, I feel very, 
very badly about that because you shouldn't have been. You were 
expressing your rights as an American.
    I don't know. You say the media mistreated you. I will certainly 
apologize for that. I have no control over it. And you know our system, 
to know that we have no control over it. But I guess what I'm trying to 
say is we do care, and we will try very, very hard to help.
    And when you get to be President, you do identify with people's 
suffering. Today it's here. And yesterday it was another place somewhere 
in the country, unrelated to riots. Tomorrow it will be something else. 
That's just the way our country is. But I will try to be as responsive 
as I possibly can. And I know it must feel a thousand miles away, 
Washington and all the forms to fill out. But these comments you have 
made I think sensitize all of us to the need to do our level-best and to 
move as fast as possible. So it's not in vain. We'll keep trying.

[A participant spoke on efforts to resolve racial tension.]

    The President. That's a very important statement, Dr. Yang. Let me 
say this, that we had a very interesting meeting with some mayors here. 
One of them was the Mayor of Ingleside. The Mayor of Ingleside told us 
that he had led that community, church leaders, ethnic group leaders, 
whatever, long before the riots started. He'd had meetings with Korean 
business people or civic leaders or church leaders, meeting with black 
leaders, Afro-America leaders, and then the elected officials in the 
community.
    You see, I am convinced that when you live close in--your second 
point is right on target--that it is going to have to be the local 
communities. The Federal Government can set a tone: no discrimination, 
rule out bigotry, hatred, and all of that. But to practice it, it's 
going to have to be done by getting across these lines and by leaders--
and you and I are saying the same thing--with the churches in the lead, 
city governments being responsive, to get across these cultural 
boundaries.
    And I salute you for what you've done. I was in E.V. Hill's church 
this morning. There were some Korean pastors there. And my emphasis was 
one on the essentiality of strengthening the American family. In your 
community, it is my perception that you have strong family values. I 
think you are blessed with the strength in family values. You've got to 
share with whoever is open-minded enough to listen. And religious 
leaders, I think, can do a lot. I'm not trying to avoid responsibility 
from the Federal Government, but I really think it's something that 
can't be legislated. This is something that really has to happen, come 
from the heart, and has to happen through what I think you're obviously 
trying to do in your church. And yes, it is longer range. But we can't 
give up on it.

[[Page 723]]

    And it is not just the Korean community or the black community; 
there are others who feel the same sense of anguish and hurt. We haven't 
talked about Hispanics here. But I think your point is very valid.

[A participant asked about law enforcement measures after the departure 
of National Guard units.]

    The President. May I ask you one? I don't want to sound defensive, 
but why do you assume that I'm only concerned about Beverly Hills?

[The participant cited media coverage of Los Angeles.]

    The President. No, that's why I asked the question, because that 
obviously is something local and I hadn't seen it. But the answer 
clearly is local law enforcement. There's no other answer. There's no 
Federal police force in this country, and there will not be as long as I 
am President. We don't need that. But we do need to guarantee the rights 
of citizens to be protected under the law by the local police. The State 
police have some role in this. Federal crime is violated, the Feds have 
some role in it.
    What's happening now is we're just trying to guarantee everybody's 
civil rights under the civil rights statute. But in terms of the guy 
that gets beat up at a gas station, that clearly has to be a renewed 
effort by the local authorities to guarantee the safety of the life and 
limb of American citizens. The law has got to be totally colorblind in 
that regard, and people have to, local police have to do their level-
best.
    Participant. But they never did ask for us----
    The President. They must do it. They must do it.

[A participant requested the names of Federal relief staff members and 
stressed the need for bilingual staff.]

    The President. We're having a meeting tonight with people like David 
Kearns who is out here, who came here to set up the--you're talking 
about Federal response.
    Participant. Right, the Federal response.
    The President. And out of that, we will have the names of the people 
who are going to be staffing these regional centers. That's the level at 
which the action will be taking place. So I hope we'll get this to the 
community and get that response to you as quickly as possible.

[A participant spoke on Korean-American participation at decision-making 
levels of government.]

    The President. I appreciated what my Andover colleague said. We have 
at least tried to have a better record in terms of numbers of Asian-
American appointees, and we'll keep working on that. Do not make the 
mistake of thinking that the Federal Government is going to wave a wand 
and solve these problems. You say you don't have any elected 
representative. I've heard some real talent here today. I've heard some 
very able and articulate voices. And I don't know how much participation 
these voices have tried to have in the local political process.
    But you don't need a civics lecture from me when we're talking about 
how you help in a community that's been ravaged, but to really have the 
clout and to really effect the change on matters we're talking about 
here today, I think it calls for participation in the political process, 
not to give up on it, not to think Washington can dictate to the local. 
So maybe there's some good activity in that regard; but if there's not, 
I strongly would urge that kind of participation.
    Participant. I'm primarily concerned about the appointing positions 
in both local and in Federal Government.
    The President. That's not where the power is. The power with the 
people, with people that are elected, whether they're low--that's the 
only point I'm making.
    Participant. We were simply saying we've been trying, and we'll work 
with you, and we need your support.
    The President. Yes. That I agree with. No, there's no problem with 
that.

[A participant spoke on Korean-American participation in government.]

    The President. No, I think that's a very good point, and I think 
that's where I think the action is. Whether it's elected or appointed, I 
think that kind of community decision-making level is what's required at 
this juncture. I'm not arguing against Fed-

[[Page 724]]

eral appointments, but I'm saying that this is where----
    Participant. Mr. President, I want you to know that the leadership 
by election is very unfeasible because only people who--persons of the 
Korean population, the whole general election area, how could you think 
that we expect someone to be elected by the Caucasian, white Caucasian. 
So appointing a position is the one that we can work with very closely 
as a part of our education, as a part of channel to work with the 
Federal Government and local government.
    The President. I think that's important, but please do not give up 
on the local level, whether it's appointment to the--what Ueberroth is 
doing, whether it's representation on committees that will come out of 
how the Federal aid is coordinated or what the Governor does. That's all 
I'm saying, is I really think--and don't give up on the idea that if you 
only have got a certain percent, that means nobody else will vote for 
you.
    I mean, I was listening. The concept of can we stay here, I have got 
to help on that. Everybody in the community has got to help to say: 
Look, this is a setback, this is a serious setback. And I think I maybe 
have more of a responsibility on this point to make clear to the 
American people that you're welcome and that this is an aberration. This 
isn't the American dream. So I'll try to assist in that as best I can. I 
did mention this in my speech to the--the heartbreak of the--and I got 
some messages back on that.

[A participant asked what role Korean-American community organizations 
could play in the rebuilding and relief efforts.]

    The President. What you're doing. What I saw when I walked in here 
is profound. I mean, this isn't some passing fantasy when you see all 
those volunteers out there doing something that in some ways people 
might just hang back and say, where are the Government people to do 
this? These people are reaching out into the community, trying to find 
what the problem is, what the location of the disaster is, and then 
trying to reach out to the agencies to take care of those specific 
cases.
    I would certainly continue that kind of effort. What these gentlemen 
were talking about is participating in the committees that inevitably 
are formed from the distribution of Federal or State assistance. I think 
that is very important. And I think what you project, how you project 
the problems--here are people that have come here very recently, settled 
in with the work ethic, the family ethic, clearly not just because the 
pastors are here but a sense of faith, and convey to the community that 
that is not dead in spite of the setback.
    Now, that's asking a lot until there are some remedial action taken, 
but I sense, when I've come here, a certain determination. And I think 
you've got to project that. If you project the defeatism, that we've 
been defeated, we've been beaten, then I think that is real bad. That's 
what you asked, what you can do for the community. Again, I've tried to 
outline here what the Federal Government and other government entities 
can do for the community. I think they go hand in hand.

[A participant asked about the terms of the SBA loans.]

    The President. Let me turn to my able assistant, Pat Saiki, who can 
answer the specifics on that, because I can't.

                    Note: The President spoke at 2:05 p.m. at the Radio 
                        Korea broadcast studio. In his remarks, he 
                        referred to Peter Ueberroth, chairman of the 
                        Rebuild L.A. Committee.