Richard Choi is the current vice chairman of Radio Korea, and was the vice president of Radio Korea in 1992. He recalls the shift in mindset during the LA riots: from one of survival to one of protecting Koreatown and the community. He explains the central role that Radio Korea had during SaIGu and beyond: receiving and relaying information related to emergencies, fires, and looting during a time described as being “like a war zone.”
The process of setting up a temporary FEMA center beautifully illustrates how the many different parts of the Korean American community came together during a time of crisis to support and serve one another.