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Whether the band’s seven members must serve in the military is hotly debated in South Korea, as its oldest member, Jin, is expected to enlist early next year after turning 30 in December.
Whether the band’s seven members must serve in the military is hotly debated in South Korea, as its oldest member, Jin, is expected to enlist early next year after turning 30 in December.
South Korea appears to be seeking to detain members of the military K-pop supergroup BTS For mandatory military duties, people are sharply divided on whether they should be exempted.
Military Manpower Administration Commissioner Lee Ki Sik told lawmakers on Oct. 7 that it is “desirable” for BTS members to perform their military duties to ensure fairness in the nation’s military service.
Earlier this week, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup made nearly identical comments about BTS at a parliamentary committee meeting, and Culture Minister Park Bo-gyon said his ministry would soon finalize its position on the matter.
Whether the band’s seven members must serve in the military is hotly debated in South Korea, as its oldest member, Jin, is expected to enlist early next year after turning 30 in December.
Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men must perform 18-21 months of military service. But the law provides special exemptions for athletes, classical and classical musicians and ballet and other dancers who win top prizes in certain competitions of national prestige.
Without amending the Act, the Government may take steps to grant special exemptions. But past exemptions for people who performed well in non-designated competitions have sparked intense debate about the fairness of the system.
Avoiding military duties or creating exemptions is a highly sensitive issue, as the draft forces young men to suspend their professional careers or studies.
In a recent survey, 61% of respondents supported exemptions for entertainers like BTS, while in another, 54% said BTS members should serve in the military.
Several amendments to the detention law that would have paved the way for an exemption for BTS members were tabled in the National Assembly, but were not voted on with lawmakers sharply divided on the issue.
Mr Lee, the defense minister, said he had ordered officials to conduct a public survey to help decide whether to grant exemptions to the BTS. But the Defense Ministry later said it would not conduct such a survey.
In August, Mr. Lee said that if BTS members join the military, they will be allowed to continue practicing and join other non-serving BTS members on overseas group tours.
Individuals exempt from the draft are discharged from the military after three weeks of basic training. They must also perform 544 hours of volunteer work and continue serving in their professional fields for 34 months.
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