People Power Party's Top Talent, Ha Jung-hoon: "I Won't Become a Member of the National Assembly... Only Policy Suggestions"

Directly Stating Position in YouTube Channel Comments
Focusing on Developing Low Birthrate Policies... Will Continue Pediatrician Activities

Ha Jung-hoon (63), the head of a pediatric clinic and the first talent recruited by the People Power Party, stated that he has "no intention of entering politics" and will not become a member of the National Assembly.

Ha, who graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine and runs the 'Ha Jung-hoon Pediatric Clinic' in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, is well-known as the author of the childcare must-read book 'Bbippo Bbippo 119 Pediatrics,' which has sold over one million copies. He also operates a YouTube channel of the same name, 'Ha Jung-hoon's Bbippo Bbippo 119 Pediatrics,' which has surpassed 355,000 subscribers.

Director Ha Jung-hoon, Pediatrician [Image source=YouTube channel 'Ha Jung-hoon's Bbi Bbo Bbi Bbo 119 Pediatrics' capture]

When news broke that he was recruited as a talent for the People Power Party, negative comments began appearing on his YouTube channel. On the 8th, when a netizen left a comment saying, "Professor, politics...ㅠㅠ," Ha directly replied, "I have no intention of entering politics." He emphasized, "I have no intention of going into politics. That is why I said I cannot be a member of the National Assembly, which is a political domain. Our country is on the brink of collapse due to low birth rates. I accepted the talent recruitment because I want to reflect opinions that can help restore a culture where people want to have children and make childcare easier into policies, but I will not become a member of the National Assembly."

He added, "I hope I can be of even a little help in creating policies that address the low birth rate problem. And since I am not a politician, I do not intend to engage in political activities. My dream is to talk about things that can help parents raise their children a little better." Ha concluded by saying that it seems unlikely he will become a politician in the future and that he will continue to work as a pediatrician.

Director Ha's direct reply on the YouTube channel
[Image source=Screenshot from the YouTube channel 'Hajeonghun-ui Ppipoppipo 119 Soagwa']

On the 8th, the People Power Party's Talent Recruitment Committee selected five talents, including Ha and Lee Soo-jung (59), a professor of criminal psychology at Kyonggi University, as candidates for next year's general election. Ha was recruited as a talent in the fields of 'children, health, and low birth rate.' Lee Cheol-gyu, head of the People Power Party Talent Recruitment Committee, introduced Ha by saying, "He is leading the establishment of a childcare culture where both parents and children are happy and is expected to play a significant role in proposing solutions to overcome the ultra-low birth rate crisis."

Meanwhile, Ha has emphasized restoring childcare culture and shifting childcare paradigms and recently attracted attention for publicly criticizing Dr. Oh Eun-young's 'Geumjjok-i Childcare Method.' In an interview with JoongAng Ilbo last October, he pointed out that programs like the 'Geumjjok-i' series, which provide childcare solutions, are engaging in "collective gaslighting" (psychological domination) that makes people think "raising children is difficult."

Ha stated, "In fact, childcare can be much easier if the basics are properly in place. If the caregiver establishes authority and properly sets rules and limits for the child, raising children is not that difficult. I am not saying childcare is easy, but there are far more joyful and happy moments than difficult ones, so something is seriously wrong if people think otherwise," he criticized.