타운 노숙자 임시 셸터 논란 "후회한다" "사과한다" "잘못됐다"
LA한인타운 24시간 노숙자 임시 셸터 졸속강행 이후 시장, 시의장, 관계 기관이 한인 사회에 잘못을 인정했다. 잘못과 실수에 대한 인정은 바른 대처라고 할 수 있지만 실수가 반복되면서 한인들의 신뢰 회복에 걸림돌이 되고 있다. 지난 5월 2일 에릭 가세티 LA시장과 허브 웨슨 시의장(10지구)은 한인타운 공영주차장에서 노숙자 임시 셸터 조성 계획을 통보했다. 한인사회가 주민공청회를 통한 여론수렴을 하지 않은 비민주적 절차를 따지며 반발하자, 두 사람은 한인타운 주민이 '잘못된 정보(Misinformation)'만 듣고 반대집회를 연다고 주장했다. ◆웨슨 사과= 웨슨 시의장은 6월 28일 LA한인타운 이웃케어클리닉에서 열린 한인비영리단체 공동 기자회견장에 나타나 자신의 독단적 행동을 사과했다. 이날 그는 "타임머신이 있다면 (임시 셸터를 통보한) 5월 2일 전으로 돌아가 바로잡고 싶다. 이제부터라도 한인타운 주민과 대화로 해결책을 찾고 싶다"고 말했다. ◆가세티 사과= 지난 26일 에릭 가세티 LA시장실은 '한인 블랙리스트' 작성 의혹을 사실상 인정하고 사과했다. 노숙자 문제해결 워크숍 행사(6월 5일, 11일)를 주최하며 한인 참석만 막은 사실이 보좌관 이메일로 드러났기 때문이다. 행사 예약담당자 대니얼 탐 보좌관은 6월 5일 오후 4시56분 유대인연맹LA 건물 관리자 측에 '이모씨, 주모씨, 허모씨' 이름이 적힌 출입금지 명단 이메일을 보냈다. 한인 블랙리스트 작성 실체가 확인된 셈이다. LA시장실 애나 바 언론담당관은 "우리는 그 사안을 다룬 방식에 대해 사과하고 후회한다(We apologize and regret how this was handled)"고 밝혔다. ◆통계도 오류 인정= LA카운티노숙자서비스관리국(LAHSA)이 LA한인타운 밖에서 거주하는 노숙자 80여 명을 윌셔센터-코리아타운(Wilshire Center-Koreantown) 노숙자 통계에 포함한 것으로 드러났다. LAHSA는 지난 12일 본지에 "한인타운을 주소지로 둔 노숙자 88명은 사우스LA, 노스 할리우드, 잉글우드 셸터에 살고 있다. 통계를 바로잡겠다"고 해명했다. ◆비판과 감시 계속해야= 한인들은 노숙자 임시 셸터와 관련된 시장과 시의장의 연이은 사과는 단순 실수로 치부하기 어렵다고 입을 모은다. 익명을 요구한 LA시 한 공무원은 "한인타운 노숙자 임시 셸터 논란의 핵심은 시정부가 정치력이 약한 한인타운을 셸터 부지중 우선 순위로 내세웠다는 것"이라며 "한인사회가 잘못된 절차를 계속 지적해야 같은 문제를 막을 수 있다"고 말했다. 그레이스 유 변호사는 "유권자인 한인들이 정치에 관심을 갖고 지역구 의원에 대한 평가를 냉정하게 해야 한다"면서 "언론이 나서지 않는다면 감시기능의 본래 역할을 제대로 못하는 것"이라고 강조했다. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 다음은 본 기사의 영문버전입니다. Garcetti’s Office Admitted the Claim about ‘Korean Blacklist’ Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has admitted the claim about using a blacklist to prevent local Korean-Americans from attending the homeless solutions workshop. On July 26, the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti responded to continuous requests to explain about the blacklist by stating, “We apologize and regret how this was handled.” “We will provide opportunities to attend upcoming public events,” added Anna Bahr, Deputy Press Secretary for Mayor Eric Garcetti. The “blacklist” controversy was first raised when the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement held Homeless Solutions Workshop on June 5 and 11. The public notice states, “The Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement offers a convening of community advocates, congregants, lay leaders, and clergy to develop a strong foundation for homeless service partnership, sharing comprehensive education, resources, and best practices.” The notice only gives RSVP information, contradicting to how the city office later claimed that the workshop was “by invitation only.” On the day of the event on June 5, the office made phone calls to three Korean-Americans who made the reservations and notified that the workshop was by invitation only. At the door, they regulated the entering, showing a list which included Korean names. At that time, Deputy Press Secretary Anna Bahr explained, “the meeting was sponsored by a Jewish organization to share strategies to deal with homeless issues with leaders of religious groups in West Los Angeles.” “The workshop was by invitation only, and the event on June 11, too, invites specific residents in West Los Angeles,” she added. The truth about “Korean blacklist” was confirmed as Wilshire Community Coalition requested information, which included emails and others, from the office based on Freedom of Information Act. According to the received material, advisors at the mayor’s office requested a Korean advisor for the identifications of Koreans who made their reservations. Furthermore, representative Daniel Tamm, who was in charge of the reservation, sent an email to the supervisor at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, which included a list of names to be banned to enter the building. Jeong Chan-yong, the president of Wilshire Community Coalition, stated, “the mayor’s office banned three Koreans from attending the workshop by identifying Korean names right before the event.” “It is such an unfortunate happening,” Jeong added. “It’s a serious problem that the mayor of Los Angeles has excluded a specific racial group.” Wilshire Community Coalition is planning to react officially after reviewing the office’s open material further. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Herb Wesson Officially Apologize for Accusing Local Korean Media for Releasing Fake News Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson has officially apologized for his previous accusation against The Korea Daily regarding releasing a false report. On June 8, the city council president met with The Korea Daily, where he admitted that his accusation against the media was not true. “I’ve been maintaining good relationships with local Korean community media,” Wesson said. “The accusation made by one of the members of my office, which said that The Korea Daily made a false report, was an incorrect claim. I regret it and apologize for it.” “I will put more effort to keep a genial relationship with Korean-American media,” he added. At the press conference on May 24, Vanessa Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for Council President Wesson, stated, “Korean community media is responsible for raising a protest by releasing fake news.” Rodriguez claimed that some of the local Korean community media outlets falsely reported about the city’s plan for the homeless shelter, saying, “Koreatown will be the only part of the city to house the shelter,” “the city will bring homeless people in Orange County to LA once the shelter is built,” or “the council members who attended May 22 deliberation were replacements.” When The Korea Daily asked for the grounds for the accusation, the spokeswoman sent links to news articles to SBS International. Regarding this, the media outlet asked for an official statement, to which Council President Wesson admitted that Spokeswoman Rodriguez made a claim not based on truth. Meanwhile, The Korea Daily also requested for an official letter of apology regarding KANA and Journalists Association. [이슈진단] LA한인타운 노숙자 셸터, 무엇이 문제인가 김형재 기자 [email protected]