What’s the Big Deal?
Okay, so you might be wondering why this is even news. In Korea, every citizen is required to pay into the National Health Insurance system. It’s a social security net that ensures everyone has access to affordable healthcare. On December 30th, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) publicly released a list of 13,449 individuals and companies who have large, long-overdue payments. This is a pretty standard procedure to encourage payment. To land on this list, you have to have over 10 million KRW (about $7,500 USD) in unpaid premiums for over a year.
Actress Shin Eun-kyung’s Massive Bill
First up is actress Shin Eun-kyung, who you might know from various K-dramas over the years. According to the list, she has an unpaid balance of a whopping 95.17 million Korean Won, which is roughly $72,000 USD. The reports state that these unpaid premiums date all the way back to February 2014. That’s over a decade of missed payments, which is pretty shocking and has definitely raised a lot of eyebrows.
Comedian Lee Jin-ho Also on the List
Next is comedian Lee Jin-ho. His amount is smaller but still very significant. He reportedly owes 28.84 million KRW, which is almost $22,000 USD. His delinquency is more recent, starting from April 2023. Lee Jin-ho is currently taking a break from the entertainment industry after being involved in an illegal gambling scandal, so this news unfortunately adds to his recent troubles.
How Does This Work?
The NHIS doesn’t just put people on the list out of the blue. They select potential candidates and then give them a six-month grace period to explain their situation or pay up. Only after this period, if the bill remains unpaid without a valid reason, are they officially added to the public list. It’s a way of holding people accountable, especially since the system relies on everyone contributing their fair share. As of now, neither Shin Eun-kyung nor Lee Jin-ho have released any official statements about the matter.
