The Korean American community in Dallas celebrated the official designation of Koreatown on Friday.
According to KERA News, a 1.5-mile stretch of Royal Lane in northwest Dallas has been the unofficial home of Koreatown for years. In May, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a resolution giving the area an official designation.
City and officials gathered in Dallas to celebrate the designation in a ceremony alongside Korean American community leaders.
The designation means that signs in the air will have “Koreatown” inscriptions. The city also installed toppers on street signs that say “Koreatown,” WFAA reports.
Korean Americans have a rich history in Dallas. Sung Sin Park, the founder of the Korean Traditional Music Association, has lived in the area for 36 years. She expressed her joy at the ceremony on Friday.
“It means a lot to Korean immigrants here,” she told NBC Dallas Fort Worth.
Korean American leaders in the city and state have been working hard to get the official designation. San Yoon Lee, president of the Greater Dallas Korean American Chamber of Commerce, told KERA News it was a long time coming.
“We should never stop making Koreatown more safe, beautiful and more culturally enriched with all people,” Lee said.
Locals are continuing to help grow Dallas’ Koreatown. Soon, residents will be able to shop at the popular Korean grocery store H-Mart.
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