Governor Larry Hogan officially opened Koreatown on Saturday.
Koreatown, a five-mile stretch along Route 40 in Ellicott City, is home to roughly 12,000 Korean-Americans and 170 Korean businesses.
The area is marked by traditional Korean palace-style signs.
Hogan was accompanied by First Lady Yumi Hogan, honorary chair of the Koreatown Planning Committee, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, and South Korea’s Ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck.
Yumi Hogan, an artist and adjunct professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art, is the first Korean American First Lady in the United States and the first Asian American First Lady of Maryland.
Last year, she was awarded the Order of Civil Merit of the Republic of Korea, the nation’s most prestigious civilian honor, for her commitment to strengthening U.S.-Korea relations and serving the Korean-American community.
“With Maryland’s own Koreatown, even more Marylanders and visitors from all across the country will have the opportunity to show their support for all of the local businesses and learn more about this incredible Korean-American community, which contributes so much to our economy, our culture, and our society,” the governor said in a statement.
What is supposed to happen to all the other great businesses in the area? Rt 40 is home to Indian, Chinese, Irish, Ethiopian and American businesses among others. There are reports that the Korean landlords have forced out non-Koreans over the recent years and now refuse to rent to non-Korean businesses. The majority of businesses and patrons in the area are not Korean and enjoy the diversity of the area but are now beginning to feel unwelcome.