Park Myungsoo Says "This Is the President's Job" in Response to Hair Loss Stories
President Lee's Hair Loss Pledge During the Last Election
Dropped This Time Due to Health Insurance Budget Concerns
Broadcaster Myungsoo Park mentioned, "Shouldn't the president be the one to solve issues like this?" while listening to the concerns of people suffering from hair loss. President Lee Jaemyung previously drew attention during the 20th presidential election by promoting a campaign promise related to hair loss, using the slogan, "Lee Jaemyung is not someone you elect, but someone you plant." On June 11, during KBS Radio's "Myungsoo Park's Radio Show," Park listened to and discussed the story of a listener who was worried about a family member's hair loss.
The listener said, "Baldness runs in my family. My father-in-law, my husband, and even my son in his 30s all wear wigs. The three generations live together, and when I come home after going out, I am startled by the wigs hanging in the bathroom." In response, Park said, "We live in a world where AI exists, so why hasn't a cure for hair growth been developed yet? I know it's due to aging, but whoever develops it will make a fortune. Aren't there about 10 million people struggling with hair loss? Please solve this quickly." He added, "In a way, shouldn't the president be the one to solve this? Because 10 million citizens are struggling with it." He clarified, "Of course, I was saying this as a joke."
During the 20th presidential election, President Lee proposed so-called "small but certain happiness" pledges, such as "expanding health insurance coverage for hair loss treatment" and "expanding health insurance coverage for hair transplantation for severe hair loss." At the time, Lee stated, "The phrase 'hair loss treatment is directly linked to dating, employment, and marriage' may be just a single sentence, but it contains a sense of desperation that only those who have experienced it can understand." He added, "The anxiety, social withdrawal, and relationship disruptions experienced by people with hair loss are directly tied to their quality of life, and because they also face discriminatory attitudes in daily life, this cannot be dismissed as a personal issue." However, after Lee lost the presidential election, these pledges were not implemented.
A promotional video produced by Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, featuring a pledge related to hair loss during the 20th presidential election. Provided by the Democratic Party of Korea
The Democratic Party of Korea reportedly considered a hair loss treatment pledge for this election as well, but it did not materialize into an official campaign promise. On May 22, Jin Sungjoon, head of policy at the Democratic Party's election committee, said in an interview on the YouTube channel "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory," "We definitely want to include the hair loss treatment (health insurance inclusion) pledge again this time, so we are waiting for candidate Lee Jaemyung's approval."
At the time, Jin explained, "There are medications to prevent hair loss and medications to promote hair growth, but both are quite expensive, so the idea is to include them in health insurance." He added, "However, since there are many people with hair loss and the medications are expensive, there are concerns about the financial burden on the health insurance system." During the 20th presidential election, President Lee estimated that expanding health insurance coverage for hair loss treatment would result in an additional annual cost of about 100 billion won.
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients receiving treatment for hair loss increased from 225,000 in 2018 to 248,000 in 2022, an average annual increase of 2.5%. However, the actual number of people suffering from hair loss is estimated to be much higher, as many receive non-insured treatments or are potential patients struggling with hair loss. The National Health Insurance Service estimates that there are about 10 million people with hair loss in Korea. As of 2022, 40.1% of hair loss patients were in their 20s and 30s, indicating that this is not just an issue for the elderly.
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