Yesterday, Yang's eyes filled with tears as she recalled her anguish on learning that Cho Seung-Hui not only hailed from the same nation as herself, but had grown up in the same Korean-American community of Northern Virginia.

"I am so sorry about this," said, Yang, 30, clasping her hands together as though begging for forgiveness. "Every Korean person is so very sorry."

It was a sentiment echoed across the Washington area's 52,000-strong Korean-born community, as one of the region's most educated and established immigrant groups grappled with the notion that such a horrific act could have been committed by one of their own.

And from Seoul, South Koreans and their government appealed to Americans not to let the carnage generate racial prejudice against the 2 million South Koreans who live in the U.S.

At least two Korean-language radio stations that serve Washington suspended their regular programming so Korean-American listeners could call in to vent their collective shock.

Along with profound grief for the victims and concern for Cho's family, many expressed fear that his actions would tar the entire Korean-American community — which has long been associated with such values as hard work, education and family unity.

"I hope everyone can see this as a tragic, random act of violence, and keep the broad-brushing of the racial aspect out of it," said Mark Keam, a founder of the Korean American Coalition of Greater Washington.

Mihae Kim, another community activist in Virginia, was especially worried about the impact on younger Korean-Americans who still might be insecure about their place in American society.

"Even for those who were born in America, they may face an identity crisis," she said, adding that various community groups and churches were working to arrange youth counseling this week. "They may be looked at differently now. ... There may be ethnic issues."

Young Bong-Kim, senior pastor of McLean, Va.-based Korean United Methodist Church of Greater Washington, shared an e-mail in which one of his parishioners said he was already experiencing such pressures.

"People in my office look at me differently," wrote the man, a government employee working in Washington. "I cannot even approach my co-workers to talk. I feel so ashamed. I feel like I gotta do something to show that I'm a good neighbor."

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun held a special meeting with aides Wednesday to discuss the shooting. His office issued a condolence statement Tuesday saying Roh "was shocked beyond description ... over the fact that the tragic incident was caused by a South Korean native who has permanent residency" in the U.S.