The City of Los Angeles has decided to allocate $500,000 to relocate Sister City exhibits, including the model of a turtle warship Geobukseon that were displayed at City Hall, and to make space for promotional materials for the 2028 LA Olympics.
However, some members of the Korean American community have criticized this decision, calling it a waste of budget, and are expressing their opposition.
On August 22, the “Committee for the Restoration of the Geobukseon Exhibit,” led by Chairman Scott Suh, held a press conference to condemn LA Mayor Karen Bass for allocating $500,000 to move the exhibits and make space for promotional materials, including the installation of the Olympic flag.
Chairman Suh questioned the necessity of spending such a large sum on the relocation and flag installation, stating, “It makes no sense to claim that the city is always short on budget and then allocate such a huge amount for this project.”
He further noted that the $500,000 budget includes the cost of restoring the exhibit, but he argued that this restoration is unnecessary. “I personally inspected the exhibit, and it’s in excellent condition. The city has added this (restoration) work to the budget without needing to,” he said.
The turtle ship was a gift from Busan, Los Angeles’ sister city in South Korea, in 1982 and has been on display at City Hall for 42 years. Chairman Suh emphasized, “When former LA Mayor Tom Bradley received the turtle ship, he promised it would be permanently displayed at City Hall. This is not just an exhibit but a symbol of diplomatic relations.”
He added that relocating the turtle ship would be an act of disrespect towards the Korean community.
Joy Lee, a local business owner who attended the press conference, also expressed concerns. “The turtle ship is a significant historical artifact of Korea,” Lee said. “As a young person, I don’t understand why it would be moved without the consent of the Korean community.”
Lee hopes that the turtle ship will be returned to its original location so that young Korean Americans in LA can learn about its significance.
During the press conference, Chairman Suh mentioned that a city official proposed returning the turtle ship to its original location after the 2028 LA Olympics, but he expressed doubts about this plan.
“Councilman Kevin de León’s office (14th District) suggested this option, but there are too many uncertainties between now and 2028,” Suh stated.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
