US Protest Spread Increases Korean Store Damages to 99 Cases... "No Reports of Casualties"

Establishment of Overseas Korean Protection Task Force within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emergency Response Teams Operating at 10 Diplomatic Missions in the US

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As protests across the United States escalate in response to the death of a Black man due to excessive force by a white police officer, cases of Korean American victims are also rapidly increasing.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 3rd, the number of damages to Korean-owned stores caused by protests in the U.S. has risen to 99 cases. This is an increase of 20 cases compared to the previous day's count.

By city, Philadelphia had the highest number with 50 cases. This was followed by Minneapolis with 10 cases, Chicago 9 cases, Washington D.C. 4 cases, Los Angeles 3 cases, Wilmington 2 cases, Providence 1 case, Oakland 1 case, Bellevue 2 cases, Cleveland 1 case, Louisville 1 case, St. Louis 2 cases, Atlanta 4 cases, Charleston 1 case, Fayetteville 1 case, Miami 1 case, Raleigh 5 cases, and Birmingham 1 case. So far, there have been no reported cases of Korean American casualties.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to continue consular assistance to minimize further damage to Koreans. They have already established an Overseas Korean Protection Task Force headed by Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho, and ten diplomatic missions in the U.S. are operating emergency response teams.

On the 1st, Vice Minister Lee held a video conference with eight consuls general in the U.S. to discuss the status of overseas Korean victims and countermeasures.