Recent Shooting Incident Involving CEO of Largest US Health Insurer
Choi Minjeong: "Reflects Major Challenges in Healthcare System"
"Violence Is Not the Answer, but Frustration Is Understandable"
Choi Min-jung, the second daughter of Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, commented on the shooting death of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth Group (UHC), the largest health insurance company in the United States, saying it was "because of a broken healthcare system."
On the 11th, Choi wrote on LinkedIn, "Many people are suffering from sadness, anger, and frustration due to the tragic shooting of Brian Thompson. This starkly reflects the enormous challenges of our healthcare system," adding, "Patients feel powerless, healthcare workers are exhausted, and systems that produce results inconsistent with the care we all deserve occur far too often." She emphasized, "Violence is not the answer, but the frustration many feel is understandable."
She stated, "Our healthcare system prioritizes profit over outcomes and quantity over value, failing the most vulnerable among us in the process," and argued, "This anger is a symptom of a broken system that urgently needs change." She continued, "By acknowledging the pain caused by the broken system and dedicating ourselves to correcting it, we can honor this tragedy and build a system that truly serves both patients and caregivers."
Choi, who majored in business administration at Peking University in China, joined SK Hynix as an assistant manager in 2019 and took a leave of absence in 2022. After resigning this year, she co-founded the AI-based healthcare startup 'Integral Health' with experts including a psychiatrist with a medical doctorate from Yale University in the United States.
Integral Health is known as a company that partners with U.S. healthcare institutions and health insurance companies to provide programs managing mental health. Choi married a Chinese-American businessman in October and currently resides in the United States.
On the morning of the 4th, in the heart of Manhattan, New York, Brian Thompson, CEO of UHC, was shot and killed by a young man. Bullet casings found at the scene contained words such as "delay" and "deny," suggesting the perpetrator harbored resentment against the insurance company. UHC and other U.S. insurers have a notorious reputation for delaying or denying insurance payments, repeatedly criticized by consumer groups and Congress.
The suspect, Luigi Mangione (26), who holds a master's degree in computer engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, was arrested on the 9th at a McDonald's restaurant. In a "manifesto" written by Mangione himself, he stated, "These parasites deserved it," and "I apologize for all conflicts and trauma, but I had to do it."
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