Lee Si-young sparks 'child abuse' controversy

Actress Lee Si-young was embroiled in controversy over ‘insensitivity to safety’ and ‘child abuse’. The problem was that I went hiking on Hallasan Mountain with my son on my back to celebrate the New Year.

From Lee Si-young’s perspective, this must be a frustrating controversy. In the end, it is the parents who care about their children the most.

Lee Si-young recently shared the latest news about climbing Mt. Halla with her son through her SNS. In the published photo, Lee Si-young is seen hiking with her son on her back, attracting attention. The view of Hallasan Mountain from the summit is covered with snow.

The only thing supporting the mother and child were the trekking poles in Lee Si-young's hands. The summit of Hallasan Mountain is approximately 1,900 meters above sea level. Losing your center of gravity on frozen snow can only take a moment. It is true that Lee Si-young, carrying her son without any safety device, looks dangerous.

Netizens who saw the photo are criticizing Lee Si-young's actions. He climbed the highest mountain in Korea with his son on his back. The very act of climbing with his son is being pointed out as ‘insensitivity to safety.’ Furthermore, there are even calls for 'child abuse' as it could put the child in danger.

Accidents can happen at any time. Hallasan Mountain is difficult to climb even for adults. Here, the level of risk increases when climbing in winter.

Safety accidents on Hallasan Mountain are constantly occurring. The main causes are hikers’ excessive hiking, lack of preparation, and insufficient equipment. In other words, the starting point of an accident is the careless thought of 'I'll be fine.'

Hallasan is the place where the most mountaineering accidents occur in Korea. This is a dangerous place to hike, so special caution is required. The number was 108 in 2013, 639 in 2014, and 143 in 2015.

This is why Hallasan cannot be ignored just because it is a popular mountain. Hallasan National Park advises people to refrain from excessive hiking, saying, “Exhaustion and muscle pain often occur while walking on relatively long uphill and downhill hiking trails.”

Lee Si-young has met the public as an ‘icon of challenge’. He has proven to be physically strong enough to compete as a member of the national boxing team. However, this time it was a challenge that raised eyebrows. Lee Si-young's son is currently 5 years old. I can't help but agree that he took a 'dangerous action' to take on the challenge.

In the end, it is the parents who care most about their children. As we welcome the New Year at the summit of Hallasan Mountain, my mother's wish is to receive good energy. There is no need for Lee Si-young to feel 'uncomfortable' due to the criticism of many people. His challenge can be encouraging, but it is also true that it is an unreasonable step.

Reporter Junho Yoon, Ten Asia delo410@tenasia.co.kr