Why Blacks and Koreans Clash

By Ed Magnuson

First it was the Italians and the Jews. Now it is the Koreans. Each new group of immigrants has arrived in New York City scratching for a foothold. They open Mom and Pop stores in the cheapest neighborhoods and, as they succeed, stir the resentment of longtime residents who are often mired in poverty. South Korean immigrants now own 2,500 of the more than 3,000 fruit and vegetable stores in the New York City area. Blacks often resent the newcomers' ability to garner profits from their community. Differences in class and culture as well as stubborn myths have led to conflict:

CULTURE. The most common black complaint is that Korean merchants treat them rudely. Some shopkeepers concede that the complaints are often valid but cite cultural conflicts. Black youngsters think nothing of saying "Hey, man!" to store owners accustomed to being treated deferentially in their homeland. Koreans, who highly respect their elders, do not joke back.

CLASS. One study shows that 78% of the Korean greengrocers in New York City are college educated. Weary and unhappy in the grocery trade, they have little patience for customer relations. Their black patrons, often hard-pressed members of the working class or desperately poor, figure they should be running what seems like a highly remunerative enterprise.

MYTHS. Many blacks believe Korean merchants have unfair advantages, drawing start-up funds from the South Korean government. In fact, most immigrants acquire their shops largely with savings they brought from Korea. They enjoy the tradition of the keh, clubs to which they contribute and from which they can draw loans. In New York City the 2,500-member Korean Produce Association has the clout to buy good produce at favorable prices. But few greengrocers are truly prosperous. They put their entire families to work at low, if any, wages, toil incredibly long hours and still average between $17,000 and $35,000 in annual profits per family. Leaders in both communities have worked to bridge differences. "We should help each other," says Park Won Chan, wholesaler for a Flatbush grocery. Adds Jong H. Chai, manager of a nearby fruit and vegetable shop: "This is not Africa. This is not Korea. This is America. I don't understand."

With reporting by Thomas McCarroll and Stephen Pomper/New York