In brief
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's recent proposal to subsidize hair loss treatments through national health insurance is dividing public opinion. While some praise the idea as a response to societal pressures over appearance, critics argue the country should focus on more pressing health issues amidst a financial strain on the health insurance system.
South Korea's well-coiffed president is on a mission to help the country's balding residents.
In his crosshairs: the national health insurance scheme, which he suggests should foot the bill for hair loss treatments.
President Lee Jae Myung made the suggestion to officials at a briefing on this week, arguing that medical treatments for hair loss used to be seen as cosmetic, but now they are viewed as a matter of survival.
South Korea's national health insurance currently covers treatments for hair loss caused by medical conditions. But it excludes people with hereditary hair loss because that does not threaten someone's life, health minister Jeong Eun-kyeong explained at the meeting on Tuesday.
Lee's proposal has earned him praise among social media users, one of whom called him the best president in history. But not everyone is as enthused - some see it as a vote-grabbing policy and question its necessity.
In South Korea, a country notorious for its strict beauty standards, baldness carries a stigma that weighs heavily on young people. Out of 240,000 people who visited hospitals for hair loss last year, about 40% were in their 20s or 30s.
Some citizens stress the need for caution when it comes to expanding health insurance coverage, especially against the backdrop of a record deficit of 11.4 trillion Korean won ($7.7bn). Critics and advocates of health funding suggest that resources should be allocated to more serious health concerns instead.
Lee's proposal reflects a wider societal issue, with discussions on the importance of treatment for aesthetic versus serious health issues continuing to divide public opinion.
