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Koreatown district line trial set for Aug. 5

May 8, 2014

A press conference was held in Koreatown with Akin Gump, KAC and KABA on Monday. (Park Sang-hyuk, The Korea Times)

A lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles over its drawing of the city’s district boundaries, filed in 2012, will go to court come Aug. 5.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, which has taken the case pro bono alongside the Korean American Coalition and the Korean American Bar Association, held a press conference in Koreatown on Monday.

Many in the area’s community would like to make Koreatown into one district region, which would unite the community politically and economically, instead of maintaining a divided Koreatown that is split into four districts.

Koreatown outlined in red.

The city district boundaries are redrawn once every 10 years.

In particular, Akin Gump and community activists say the center of Koreatown was purposefully expanded and included in an advantageous move for District 10.

The lawsuit accuses the City Council and the city’s Redistricting Commission of redrawing districts based on racial lines and of violating city charter No. 252 that allows residents to vote on issues related to redistricting.

John Karaczynski, the L.A. partner in charge at the firm, said the case is a clear violation of city rules.

Although Akin Gump has taken the case without charge, the fees for document preparation and services is expected to cost around $100,000 to $200,000. A donation event will open on May 14 at 6 p.m. inside Cafe Bleu in Koreatown.

“This is for the rights and interests of the Korean American community, and we need the interest and support of many Koreans,” said Grace Yoo, executive director of the KAC.

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