Today, we bring you news of the LA Metro Board meeting and an exclusive interview with one of the directors, Kathyrin Barger. On May 23rd, a board meeting open to the public was held at the Metro headquarters. Eun Lee, a reporter from KFOX and Radio Seoul, conducted an impromptu interview with Metro Director Kathyrin Barger during the meeting.
Kathyrin Barger is also the supervisor of LA’s 5th district. Barger, who has publicly claimed in interviews with mainstream media that Metro is not safe and needs a stronger security system, has attracted attention. What was impressive in today’s interview was her statement, “The increase in Metro passengers is not because Metro is safe, but because there are many people who have no choice but to use Metro despite the risks.” This accurately identified the essence of the problem. At the Metro board meeting, Metro CEO Stephanie stated that the steady increase in Metro passengers is due to improved security and service, which contradicted Barger’s statement, indicating that there are different perspectives within the board. Barger is known to be one of the Metro directors who strongly supports returning to the basics of law and order, strengthening security, and preventing fare evasion. She was skeptical about the introduction of facial recognition security equipment proposed by Metro. She questioned its effectiveness, as even if problem passengers are identified with advanced equipment, there is no physical way to force them, indicating that there are diverse opinions on this issue within the Metro leadership. What was felt during the interview with Barger was that she has a firm belief in what kind of security and passenger protection devices are needed because Metro is a public transportation facility, and she has a deep understanding of crimes caused by mental illness or drug addicts. It was confirmed that she understands exactly what needs to be done first for the safety of passengers to be the top priority for the long-term development of LA Metro, regardless of politics and ideology. The next interview will be held during the noon news time on Radio Seoul, where we will invite her as a guest to hear more stories.
