LOS ANGELES (City News Service) — After Mayor Karen Bass and the Los Angeles City Council approved a plan to move decades-old artifacts to the Convention Center, two groups of predominantly Japanese American and Korean American activists frustrated with the decision Aug. 22 urged them to return the displays to City Hall.

The city removed the displays to make way for Olympic flags as L.A. is set to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Scott Suh, former president of the Los Angeles Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council, and spokesman for the Turtle Ship and Mikoshi Shrine Restoration Demand Committee, told City News Service the city’s decision to move the artifacts outraged some members of the Korean and Japanese community. He further described it as “terribly disrespectful.”

This is the second time this month Suh organized a news conference to share his concerns. The Korean-American Seniors Coalition, Busan & Kyeong Nam Fellowship Association, the LA Nagoya Sister City Affiliation, Little Tokyo Business Association, among other groups, on Aug. 7 joined Suh during a news conference to express their frustrations.

The displays were gifts from Los Angeles’ sister cities of Nagoya, Japan in 1959 and Busan, South Korea in 1982. A replica of a Korean turtle ship, from Busan, and a portable shrine called a mikoshi, from Nagoya, are being moved to the L.A. Convention Center.

“Those artifacts are our diplomatic artifacts, representing Korea and Japan and our history, our international relationship, and also how the Korean- and Japanese-American communities contributed to the city,” Suh told City News Service.

Suh said some Asian American residents are frustrated in part because they were not contacted by the city about the decision to move the artifacts.

He’s also questioning a decision approved by City Council on June 2 to allocate $500,000 to move the items out of City Hall.

Jieun Kim, Bass’ deputy director of Korean language communications, noted Los Angeles has the “international distinction” of being the next host city of the Olympic Games.

“The gifts are undergoing full restoration and conservation, some of which for the first time in a few decades, and will then be showcased in locations with more exposure to members of the public than at City Hall,” Kim said in a statement. “Along with Councilmember John Lee, we are in the process of convening community leaders regarding the future of these gifts from Mexico, Korea and Japan.”

Bass’ office will convene meetings with members of the Korean American, Japanese American and Mexican American communities to share updates on the conservation and restoration efforts, as well as to hear ideas about how the city can further celebrate and highlight these artifacts.

The two previous Summer Olympic host cities, Paris and Tokyo, also displayed the official Olympic flag at their main municipal building. Los Angeles is expected to display the flags on the third floor of City Hall.

A Karakuri Wall Clock, a bust of Mexican President Benito Juarez and another bust of Juarez’s wife, Margarita Maza, were also removed outside the hallway near the mayor’s office. The busts are headed to El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, according to signage posted at City Hall.

Suh remained adamant the artifacts did not need to be restored, and the $500,000 would be better off used to fix potholes.

“We are asking Mayor Bass to bring them back and send the Olympic flags to the Convention Center or display the flags near the 1984 Olympic torch,” Suh said. “They’ve been there for decades. It’s just insulting.”

City officials say the $500,000 will be used for restoration and conservation efforts, noting the displays have gone two decades or more without care.

According to the Department of Cultural Affairs, the turtle ship last received conservation nearly 20 years ago. The department also reported that this will be the first conservation and restoration effort for the Mikoshi Float, the Kasuisha Float, and the Karakuri Wall Clock since they were given as gifts to the city.
Some of that funding will also be used to address the marble flooring and walls behind the displays, which show cracking and signs of wear.
Restoration is expected to occur during this time and ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic flags installation.