Although only ten-percent of Korean-American storeowners had their businesses in African-American communities, the high-profile conflicts and problems involved drew greater attention to their presence. These problems were both structural and cultural, and their causes were rooted in mutual misunderstandings.
2. Korean-Americans receive special treatment through both governmental programs and low-interest bank loans = As a "priviledged" model minority, Asians receive unfair advantages
3. Korean-Americans are disrespectful to African-Americans = Storekeepers often follow blacks around their stores to make sure that nothing is stolen; change is placed on the counter instead of in the hand; eye contact or communication is rarely attempted
4. Korean-Americans are not active participants in the community = As Reverend Wilson, a prominent member of the black community stated, Koreans are "the latest of a series of ethnic groups that have come into our community, disrespected us, raped us economically, and moved out at our expense"; Korean-Americans are often absentee owners who may not even live in the community where their shops are located
2. Korean-American status anxiety = Due to the fact that Koreans often lost their upper or middle-class status that they enjoyed in Korea after immigrating to the United States, they often attempt to distance themselves from the poor in order to regain the higher status that was lost; Since African-Americans in the inner city--where Korean-Americans often set up stores--are often poor, Koreans try not to associate with them, thus causing tension
3. Cultural misunderstandings = Due to their culture, Korean-Americans can often seem rude by American standards: in their society, one is supposed to act reserved, submit to the male of the family, and not look others in the eye; Also, Korean-Americans' lack of fluency in English and loud speech patterns can be troublesome
4. African-Americans' negative experience with Jewish and Italian storekeepers = Blacks feel that other people always come into their community, make money, and then leave; Thus, they are wary of Korean-Americans doing the same thing
5. Feelings of powerlessness by blacks = Blacks are sometimes threatened by Asian-Americans; Blacks may not have as much education or resources to compete
On August 27, 1988, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, a scuffle broke out between two black women and the Korean-American owners of the Tropic Market. The news of the fight spread through the mainly African-American community, and a group known as the December 12th Movement, lead by Robert (Sonny) Carson called for a total boycott of the store and all other Korean shops in the area: "The Korean Boycott must be seen as an overall campaign to control our community and not a campaign against the Korean people...." Four months later, so that peace could return, Korean merchants agreed to six demands from the African-American community, including an apology and the closing of the Tropic Market. By sacrificing one store, the Korean-American community was able to keep their livelihod.
But the peace between the African and Korean-Americans did not last long. The longest and most notable boycott of a Korean-American store began in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn in 1990. Ghislaine Felissaint, a Haitian American, claimed that she was assaulted by a store employee of the Red Apple Market. Again, anger erupted and a boycott was put in place (the store across the street to which one of the employees allegedly ran was also boycotted). The store owner, Bong Jae Jung was arrested (even though he was not actually there during the "assault"--the witness mistakenly confused Jung with his brother, who was the one on duty that day). However, it was later revealed that any arrests that day were false; during the trial, a witness declared that Felissaint threw herself on the floor, and that none of the employees of the Red Apple Market ever touched her. She was just trying to draw a civil lawsuit against the store, so she could collect money (she sued for over a million in damages).
After these two boycotts, the BKA made amazing strides in the community; when a Korean-American allegedly slapped a minor shoplifter, the BKA went in and worked as a mediator so the situation was not blown out of proportion. Instead of fighting, community members calmly spoke to each other about their concerns. Because of this, the incident was quickly resolved. Tensions were beginning to lessen, and the community situation was beginning to improve. The BKA had hope for the future. But "then the Soon Ja Du shooting blew everything apart," lamented Jai Lee Wong of the Human Relations Committee.