After more than 40 years of community service and charitable work in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, the Salvation Army LA Korean Corps has closed its doors, leaving many residents disappointed.
The church recently relocated to Anaheim in Orange County, adopting a new name and effectively marking the end of the only Salvation Army Korean Corps in LA.
A visit to the church’s former location at 933 S. Hoover St. confirmed the closure. The front door was locked, and a notice posted at the entrance stated: “As of July 1, 2024, all social welfare programs will be permanently discontinued.”
The notice also directed those in need of assistance to call 211, signaling that the various charitable programs the church had provided for decades had come to an end in the latter half of last year.
The congregation has since moved to an existing Salvation Army church in Anaheim. In accordance with the Salvation Army’s regional operational policies, the church has been renamed The Salvation Army Orange County Korean Corps, dropping “Na-Sung” (the Korean name for Los Angeles)” the designation that had represented LA.
Captain Jungsoo Kim, the church’s current pastor, explained that the relocation decision was made by the Salvation Army’s headquarters, which operates under a centralized system similar to that of the Catholic Church. Discussions about the move, he said, had been underway since the tenure of his predecessor, with the deteriorating condition of the LA church building cited as a key factor.
Asked about the future redevelopment or use of the property, Captain Kim said, “That is beyond my authority, and I cannot provide any specific information.”
The Salvation Army follows a governance model similar to that of the United Methodist Church, in which all church properties are owned and managed by the organization’s central headquarters, which also makes decisions about clergy assignments and church relocations.
The closure has drawn criticism from some in the Korean Christian community, who argue that the move disregards the needs of the congregation, particularly its elderly members.
“Most of the church members are seniors, and this decision seems to have been made without considering their circumstances,” one member of the local Korean Christian community said. “LA is home to the largest Koreatown in the nation, and as many ethnic minority churches are shrinking, the remaining senior members are left in a difficult position.”
Roughly 40 former members of the Salvation Army LA Korean Corps now hold Sunday services at a senior apartment complex adjacent to the former church building.
“Most of the congregation lives in that senior apartment, so traveling to Orange County is not an option for them,” Captain Kim said. “For now, I am leading services in LA for them, but any further decisions will be made by headquarters. The future remains uncertain.”
The closure has also impacted charitable activities in Koreatown. The familiar Salvation Army red kettles, once a fixture outside Korean supermarkets during the holiday season, will no longer be managed by the church.
“Given the controversies surrounding this issue, I am unable to provide further details at this time,” Captain Kim said. “But headquarters is working on a solution.”
He added that there were once as many as five Salvation Army Korean Corps churches in Southern California, but only the Orange County location remains. “There is a severe shortage of Korean officers, and it is deeply regrettable that we can no longer serve in Koreatown.”
Founded in January 1981, the Salvation Army LA Korean Corps played a vital role in the community for more than four decades, providing food, school supplies, toys, and other essentials to low-income families, ministering to the homeless, and visiting nursing homes.
BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
