Queens, a district of New York, is to regulate foreign language signs by requiring English translations.

Two Republican councilmen, Peter Koo from Flushing and Dan Halloran of Whitestone, are planning on introducing the controversial bill.

When the new law is enforced, shop owners are forced to change their signs so that at least 60 percent is written in English. Some streets in areas like Flushing are expected to go through major changes, as their appearance today is not so different from those of Seoul.

“Our public safety officers need to know exactly where they need to respond to and what their surroundings will be when they enter the location,” said Halloran to New York Daily. Other grounds for the new law include promoting business expansion and attracting tourists.

Some merchants showed no resistance. For example, Ziyad Saleh, a local shop owner, said “You can keep your language up there but at least help American consumers understand what you store is all about.”

However controversies still exist, as Kim Ik-hwann, the president of Union Street Merchants Association in Flushing, said “If you change the sign, it’s going to cost you extra money.”

By Kang Yoon-seung
(koreacolin@gmail.com)
Intern reporter