DIVERSITY WATCH : Presidential Leadership

On his first overseas trip as president of South Korea, Kim Young Sam is spending a day in Los Angeles before moving on to Seattle. His stopover before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting is a fitting tribute to the many Koreans who have settled in Los Angeles and nearby, making the area’s Korean-American community the largest in the United States.

Creating a new life seldom is easy for an immigrant. Among Korean newcomers, difficulties with English have meant that many had to go into business for themselves to survive economically. A large number of these merchants were targeted during last year’s riots.

Today, many Korean-American business operators still face challenges because of tensions between themselves and their African-American and Latino customers.

One of Kim’s reasons for visiting Los Angeles is to foster the healing and rebuilding process.

“I think the ethnic minorities living in the area should unite and create harmonious relationships,” Kim told Times correspondent Sam Jameson this week in an Opinion section interview. “The Korean community should make friendly and productive relationships--not just with white people, but other ethnic groups.”

To their credit, Korean-Americans already have made significant efforts to build such alliances and to become, as Kim put it, “good American citizens and take root in this society.” Kim deserves praise for his helpful encouragement and advice to the Korean-American community.