The Los Angeles city officials proposed a meeting with Korean Americans who are opposing the plan to relocate the Korean Turtle Ship model, which has been on display at Los Angeles City Hall, to the Los Angeles Convention Center.
However, it seems that the Mayor Bass intends to maintain its relocation plan.
In a recent email to the Committee for the Restoration of the Korean Turtle Ship, Los Angeles city officials expressed their desire to discuss the issue of relocating the Turtle Ship model and proposed a meeting on the 29th at Los Angeles City Hall to exchange opinions.
However, the Committee for the Restoration of the Turtle Ship has stated that they do not plan to attend this meeting.
Regarding the relocation of the Japanese community’s shrine model, which is to be moved along with the Turtle Ship, LA city officials met with the Japanese community on the 21st. During this meeting, the city officials reportedly maintained its position without any changes.
Chairman Scott Suh stated that if the city government’s position is firm, there is no reason to have a meeting, and he communicated his intention not to attend via email.
Ellen Endo, Senior Vice President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, who has been expressing opposition to the city government regarding the relocation of Japanese memorabilia, revealed that during the meeting, city authorities only mentioned spending a large sum to move the shrine memorabilia to the Convention Center. She noted that there was no explanation about the storage or management of the memorabilia, which currently has no place to be put due to ongoing renovations at the LA Convention Center.
She also mentioned that there was no explanation about the fact that the space needed to display the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics flag is not that large.
Chairman Suh explained that the items being relocated are not ordinary exhibits, but diplomatic symbols gifted to the City of Los Angeles by the Korean and Japanese city governments, and were not originally intended for display at the Convention Center.
He added that since former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley had legislated to permanently display diplomatic gifts, including the Turtle Ship, at Los Angeles City Hall, Mayor Karen Bass should honor the intentions of her predecessor.”
