Korean Students in US Nervous Over Rumor
Title
Korean Students in US Nervous Over Rumor
Description
Korean Students in US Nervous Over Rumor
By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
Tensions have risen in Korean communities in Virginia as rumors and allegations of Koreans being attacked spread.
Even a U.S. university sent a letter of assurance to international students after police had confirmed the university shooter was a native of South Korea.
``Friends told me some Koreans who were living Richmond, the state capital, were hit and even Korean-owned stores were robbed,'' Choi Min-jin, 27, told The Korea Times in a telephone interview yesterday from Centreville, VA.
She said tensions around Centreville were high as this was where Cho Seung-hui, the shooter lived.
``I am so scared to go outside as hostility against Koreans seems high,'' she added.
A student in Virginia Tech said Korean students were hesitating to go to the school's cafeteria for fear of possible retaliation.
``They gather in threes or fours when they go out for lunch or buying something. Some of my friends stayed in their dormitory all day long,'' the student, said on condition of anonymity.
Indiana University also advised its international students to report inappropriate behavior on the campus or in the community if it happens, a copy of an assurance letter obtained by the Times shows.
``While we believe it is unlikely that you will experience inappropriate behavior on campus or in the community, I am writing to assure you of our continued concern for your well-being and our commitment to provide you with assistance and support during your time at Indiana University,'' Christopher J. Viers, director of the Office of International Services said in an e-mail to the students.
``The Indiana University Police Department (IUPD) will respond promptly to requests for aid in emergency situations, with officers who are courteous and sensitive to cultural and linguistic differences,'' the letter added.
Park Seo-kyoung, a senior of the school said the school's security officers handed out emergency contact numbers to foreign students.
yckim@koreatimes.co.kr
--
Original Source: Korea Times
<a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=1211&categoryCode=117
">http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=1211&categoryCode=117</a>
By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
Tensions have risen in Korean communities in Virginia as rumors and allegations of Koreans being attacked spread.
Even a U.S. university sent a letter of assurance to international students after police had confirmed the university shooter was a native of South Korea.
``Friends told me some Koreans who were living Richmond, the state capital, were hit and even Korean-owned stores were robbed,'' Choi Min-jin, 27, told The Korea Times in a telephone interview yesterday from Centreville, VA.
She said tensions around Centreville were high as this was where Cho Seung-hui, the shooter lived.
``I am so scared to go outside as hostility against Koreans seems high,'' she added.
A student in Virginia Tech said Korean students were hesitating to go to the school's cafeteria for fear of possible retaliation.
``They gather in threes or fours when they go out for lunch or buying something. Some of my friends stayed in their dormitory all day long,'' the student, said on condition of anonymity.
Indiana University also advised its international students to report inappropriate behavior on the campus or in the community if it happens, a copy of an assurance letter obtained by the Times shows.
``While we believe it is unlikely that you will experience inappropriate behavior on campus or in the community, I am writing to assure you of our continued concern for your well-being and our commitment to provide you with assistance and support during your time at Indiana University,'' Christopher J. Viers, director of the Office of International Services said in an e-mail to the students.
``The Indiana University Police Department (IUPD) will respond promptly to requests for aid in emergency situations, with officers who are courteous and sensitive to cultural and linguistic differences,'' the letter added.
Park Seo-kyoung, a senior of the school said the school's security officers handed out emergency contact numbers to foreign students.
yckim@koreatimes.co.kr
--
Original Source: Korea Times
<a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=1211&categoryCode=117
">http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=1211&categoryCode=117</a>
Creator
Kim Yoo-chul
Date
2007-10-11
Contributor
Haeyong Chung
Language
eng
Citation
Kim Yoo-chul, “Korean Students in US Nervous Over Rumor,” The April 16 Archive, accessed April 29, 2024, https://www.april16archive.org/items/show/1446.