“If you know where fruit and vegetable carts are going to be set up, call the Korean Fruits and Vegetables Association!”

That was the message given by Korean Fruits and Vegetables Association to their members.

On January 23, several Korean businessmen in the New York area joined a campaign against the Green Cart bill (Intro 655). The campaign was announced at a press conference held by the Greater New York Korean Association and the Greater New York Korean Produce Association.

The Green Cart bill, put forward by New York City Council and supported by a number of council members, is aimed at economically weaker neighborhoods to bring fresh produce to local residents by making it available on the streets. This is part of an effort to improve the health of residents across the five boroughs.

According to the bill, a total of 1,500 vendors will soon hit the streets: 500 each to the Bronx and Brooklyn; 250 to Queens, 200 to Manhattan, and 50 to Staten Island.

The New York Korean Association and other Korean leaders are strongly opposed to the bill because there are already over 1,200 Korean fruit-and-vegetable and grocery stores registered in the city, with an additional 1,400 supermarkets, and ,8000 small delis that all provide produce to local customers. In some cases, the stores are in close proximity to each other. Owners fear that the bill could prove a death knell for existing businesses, some of whom are already struggling.

“If the vendor carts are installed, the numbers might even grow. Right now, we have no idea how large the figures could get. We do know that these vendors will have a direct impact on Korean produce sales, and that the damage to our businesses will only increase,” said Mr. Seo-mok Lee, chairman of the Greater New York Korean Association.

Mr. Kwang-chol Park, chairman of New York Korean Produce Association, said, “We already face serious issues from non-licensed roadside stands or booths. Not only are they directly cutting into our existence, but they create nuisances in terms of cleanliness – waste disposal, navigation of pedestrian paths and sidewalks, unsafe influences on traffic, and general sanitation and quality control. If the new green carts also hit the streets, without paying taxes, we must assume that Korean businesses in these areas will suffer more.”

On January 31, Korean business leaders announced their rejection of the Green Cart bill in a public hearing at the council chambers in City Hall. Leaders planned to work continually against the bill with the aid of Councilman John Liu (D-Queens) and other council members. Demonstrations were also planned with affected businesses in the areas.

Leaders and organizers stressed that the most important thing is to find out where and how many green carts will be placed locally. Cart proponents say that the program has a “moral obligation” to aid the poor and needy, and that the carts will therefore not be placed in areas with already existing fruit and vegetable stores.

Nevertheless, many leaders are wary. Mr. Myong-mok Kang, chairman of the Korean Grocery Store Association, summed it up by saying, “We are absolutely opposed to the bill and the plan.”

Korean organizations planned to attend public hearings in unison and stand in clear rejection of this bill. Their primary goal is to defeat the bill. Should that prove impossible, they will refocus on a reduction in the number proposed vendors, as well as the tightening of regulations regarding sales.

“We already have over 4,000 points of sale in the five boroughs for the products that these vendors intend to sell. If we see an additional 1,500 vendors targeting the same markets, it will be very difficult for Korean vendors to survive in this field. We are fighting for our livelihood; we are fighting for our existence,” said Seo-mok Lee, chairman of the New York Korean Association.

The Greater New York Korean Produce Association has sent their members the current lists of areas where the carts are planned, including the name of the area, zip code, and police precinct.