Korean Sister City for Inglewood

In an effort to ease tensions between black residents of Inglewood and Korean merchants, city officials have proposed a sister city relationship between Inglewood and Kyongju in South Korea.

Inglewood Mayor Edward Vincent met with Korean merchants earlier this year to air complaints from residents who say the merchants often treat them with disrespect. Representatives of the Korean business community responded that it was cultural differences and a fear of crime, not racism, that caused problems between the two groups.

“We’re not enemies,” said Bob Lee, an assistant to Vincent. “Inglewood residents who go to Korea will meet Koreans and learn what they’re like. It’s only certain people that are bad, not all Koreans.”

Kyongju has agreed to the sister city relationship, although the proposal has not yet been presented to the Inglewood City Council or its Sister City Committee, officials said.