More on the Korean Murders

After sobbing through the story of Bin Na Kim (“The Daughter,” by Erika Hayasaki, Oct. 29), I found myself equally infuriated when I read “The Fathers” (by Mona Gable, Oct. 29), in which community leader Charles Kim asserted a ridiculous theory of cultural defense to explain the egregious murders involving Korean American families.

To say that the fathers “had to do that” is outrageous and reprehensible. As a second-generation Korean American, I am appalled. I don’t deny that the families’ issues were rooted in our culture and that we have a terrible sense of guilt. But our leaders need to quit blaming our culture, thus extending the guilt, and start addressing the denial of domestic violence and mental illness in our community.

We desperately need fathers to realize that, in America, their daughters couldn’t care less about what cars they drive and where they live. They just want to be able to talk and know their dads will listen.

Jin Whang

Los Angeles