North Korean Leader's Death Touches Fridley

The death of North Korean Leader Kim Jong-il Sunday had people talking at in Fridley, the owner said after the lunch rush Monday. 

"Everybody's kind of worried what's going to happen next," said the owner of the popular Korean restaurant, whose name is Suki. "We worry about South Korea"—where she has family, like many others at King's.

The restaurant has been in Fridley for more than 10 years. Suki is a citizen of the United States, but she said "my roots are in South Korea," where she was born.

Among the lines of discussion at King's on Monday, Suki said, was this: If the two Koreas become one, like Germany, what would be the economic ramifications?

Customer Sue Kim, who said she has aunts and uncles in South Korea, came from Eden Prairie to meet about a dozen friends at King's.

As they were getting up from their long lunch table at 3 p.m. Monday and heading for the market two doors down, she said Kim Jong-il's death was on all their minds.

The talk was about what the North Korean leader's death means for the two Koreas, she said: "Is it good? Is it not good? No one knows."