as billowing smoke moves closer to the financial center of koreatown, kim urges them to take action. l.a. abandoned korean shop owners during that time? >> when i saw the lapd did not get their act together on the second day and they were telling korean american merchants in torriatown to evacuate, that's when i decided to go and ask the korean merchants to defend themselve themselves. >> kabc television captures these men apparently taking matters into their own hand. >> there's a shooting. >> koreans are starting to shoot at some of the people here. >> by defending themselves, kim says koreatown became a buffer zone in the battle to prevent the loss of more lives and property. >> the fact that koreatown itself was largely unscathed, i thi think -- i think you have to credit the people who lived there, particularly the merchants, who were armed and defended their property. >> as the riots enter a fourth day, the man at the center of the storm emerges from obscurity, his voice visibly shaken. king speaks to the world. >> people, i just want to say, you know, can we can we all get alo

one week later, president bush makes a personal visit to koreatown to ease tensions. >> it helped theericans because they felt like the system had abandoned them. i think that it at least helped them heal their wounds. >> the events that unfold after the jury's verdict present a watershed moment in the history of race relations across the country. but in l.a., those relations are soon tested again. >> he didn't say that! >> as another trial keeps the city on edge. if you are one of the millions of men who have used androgel 1%, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. [ male announcer ] dosing and application sites between these products differ. women and children should avoid contact with application sites. discontinue androgel and call your doctor if you see unexpected signs of earl

s koreatown. >> the ultimate goal would be to see asian-americans playing a larger role in mainstream society. >> reporter: and no surprise for austin wan, swamped by applications from the young and the hopeful, looking to leave china for a chance at the american dream. mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. >>> a big day today for the 16 million member southern baptist convention, which elected new orleans pastor fred luder as their first african-american president. when it was founded back in 1845, the southern baptist convention supported slavery. and long favored segregation. it wasn't until 1995 that the group publicly denounced racism and apologized to african-americans. there's more on this milestone, including an interview with reverend luder on our web tight tonight, that's nbcnightlynews.com. >>> still ahead for us along the way on a tuesday evening, look who's doing heroin. they look a lot like middle class american kids. our special report on a growing addiction in this country. >>> and later, the star who still has to prove herself on the world stage. tonight an exclusive lo