Typhoon Yutu

[Anchor Lead]

As commercial flights are partially resuming it's operation at Saipan International Airport, the return of South Korean tourists that have been stranded in Saipan due to a powerful typhoon is gradually showing progress. However, ethnic Koreans residing on the island have suffered a severe blow and have to restore their livelihoods all on their own. Here's more.

[Pkg]

Saipan is gradually returning to normal after widespread destruction caused by Super Typhoon Yutu. Trees that were uprooted by the devastating typhoon fell on the now roofless college buildings near the airport. What used to be a souvenir shop now looks like a steel skeleton. Cars parked outside are all but destroyed. Tourists are gradually leaving the devastated resort island, but ethnic Koreans residing in Saipan have nowhere to go.

[Soundbite] Park Tae-won(Ethnic Korean (lived in Saipan for 24 years)) : "Almost all households have sustained damages. The windows, the furniture and the cars are mostly destroyed."

Some 1,900 ethnic Koreans live in Saipan. Most of them work in the tourism sector. This means that the powerful typhoon has wreaked havoc on their livelihoods. When Super Typhoon Soudelor hit Saipan three years ago, the U.S. government provided support only to 20 percent of ethnic Koreans who had a permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship. The same is likely to happen this time.

[Soundbite] Park Tae-won(Ethnic Korean in Saipan) : "The U.S. government only provides aid and rescue supplies to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. We can get help neither from the Korean nor the U.S. government."

The association of ethnic Koreans in Saipan and travel agencies are notifying the local diplomatic office of the damage sustained by ethnic Koreans and are asking for help.