The tragic killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is a stark reminder of the volatile intersection between corporate power and public frustration in the U.S. about the state of the health system. While no murder should be justified, the chilling reality is the positive public reaction from vast swaths of America, which, rather than mourning a life lost, sees Thompson’s death as symbolic retribution for the systemic failures of America’s health insurance industry.

To many, this reaction feels extreme, even cruel. However, for Koreans who don’t think twice about going to the local clinic to get a shot for fatigue or take their small children to a pediatrician for a sniffle, it’s difficult to convey the pervasive uncertainty and feeling of dread that the most commonplace visit to a medical professional entails for a majority of Americans, even for those who are insured. The byzantine maze that is health insurance coverage is bewildering.

Therefore, the American public’s fury is not about one individual or even one company — it is rooted in decades of policies that have prioritized profits over patients, left millions in debt and perpetuated inequalities in accessing care. The words that the alleged perpetrator wrote on the bullet casings — “Deny, Defend, Depose” — is a powerful condemnation of the system.

For millions of Americans, their first interaction with........

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