A candidate from the ruling party in South Korea's presidential election stirred up controversy this week after proposing to include coverage for baldness treatment in health insurance. While some voters cheered this proposal, others criticized his populist platform. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's standard-bearer, made this pledge, stating that around 10 million individuals suffer from hair loss; however, many resort to buying medication abroad or turning to prostate medications as alternatives due to the high cost of treatment, according to Reuters.
The proposal sparked furious reactions from some, and many shared a 15-second fake video styled as a commercial about hair loss, featuring Lee addressing voters, claiming he is the best candidate "for your hair."
A mother of two named Jeong Da-yoon, at an event organized by Lee's party on Wednesday with voters suffering from hair loss, said she gave up medical treatment as it would cost four million won (approximately $3,325) over six months and instead opted for premium shampoo and better nutrition.
However, Lee's pledge received criticism from others, with the opposition labeling it as the latest item in Lee's populist agenda. Ahn Cheol-soo, a lesser-known opposition candidate and former doctor in the software industry, described the proposal as irresponsible and promised to lower the prices of off-patent medications and fund the development of new treatments if elected.
