At 10:50 a.m. on October 10, Buena Park City Council members, local politicians, and Korean American organization leaders seemed to engage in a playful tug-of-war.
Their collective effort pulled away the blue curtain atop the steel pole – which also supports a traffic signal and street light – revealing the “Buena Park Koreatown” street sign. This sign features the city logo at its peak and bears the welcoming words “Welcome to Koreatown” in white set against a blue backdrop.
The unveiling was met with sustained applause from the 60 attendees, making the atmosphere festival-like. Korean Americans wore smiles of pride, while others displayed celebratory expressions.
“Koreatown represents Buena Park’s diversity, where people from various ethnic backgrounds coexist. It’s also a tribute to the integration and significant contributions of the Korean American community to the city,” expressed 1st District Councilwoman Joyce Ahn, the Koreatown initiative’s main advocate.
Councilmember Connor Traut commented, “Over the years, numerous Korean American businesses have rooted themselves in Buena Park. Now, Buena Park stands as not only the city of Knott’s Berry Farm but also the city of Koreatown.” This statement received warm applause from the attendees.
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, Youngwan Kim, emphasized the significance by saying, “The birth of Buena Park Koreatown in 2023 is profoundly meaningful, coinciding with the 120th anniversary of Korean immigration to the United States and the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-Korea Alliance.”
Distinguished guests, including President of the Korean American Federation of Orange County Bongnam Cho, KACCOC President Sean Roh, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, Senator Tom Umberg, Josh Newman, OC Supervisor Doug Chaffee, and Irvine Vice Mayor Tammy Kim, also shared their congratulatory remarks.
President Cho believed that the designation of Koreatown will raise the profile of the Korean community and improve the city of Buena Park. Echoing his sentiment, President Roh stated that Koreatown would stand as a beacon of pride and honor for the Korean American community.
The city has plans to place nine more signs at five intersections along Beach Boulevard, spanning between Orangethorpe and Rosecrans Avenue. “We urge state members to support us in positioning Koreatown signs on the freeway,” Councilmember Traut addressed. The city is keen to set up signage near Koreatown exits on the 5 and 91 freeways.
BY LAWRENCE SANGHWAN LIM [lim.sanghwan@koreadaily.com]
