A SPECIAL REPORT: MINORITY BUSINESS

By Cristina Lee

Jan. 6, 1992 12 AM PT

WHAT RECESSION? The number of Korean dry cleaners, above, is up dramatically in Orange County, despite the slumping economy. . . . Of the 625 registered here, all remain in business despite tough times. The secret? Being relatively debt-free, says Seo Jun (George) Ma, who edits an industry trade paper. “I told them to get those interest payments out of the way, and they should be able to weather a recession,” he says. . . . By comparison, 6% of local Korean laundries went under during the ‘80s recession due to debt.

Cleaning Up

Number of Korean-owned dry cleaners in Orange County:

1982: 150

1985: 280

1988: 400

1991: 625

Source: Cleaners News (newsletter of the Korean Dry Cleaners-Laundry Assn. of Southern California)