Defense Minister: "BTS Can Perform Overseas During Military Service... It May Even Help Their Popularity"

Seong Il-jong "BTS Military Exemption Should Be Considered from National Interest Perspective"

Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop attended the full meeting of the National Defense Committee held at the National Assembly on the 1st and is giving a work report. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Seong Il-jong, a member of the People Power Party, advocated for applying military service exemptions to the group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan), but the Ministry of National Defense expressed a negative stance. However, the Ministry explained that it might allow BTS to have practice time or perform overseas while serving in the military.

BTS Photo by Yonhap News

On the 1st, at the National Assembly's National Defense Committee plenary session, Representative Seong demanded the expansion of military service exemptions for popular culture artists to exempt BTS from military service, stating, "There is a need to establish a national system so that the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th BTS can continue to emerge." He added, "When BTS wins first place on the Billboard once, the economic effect is 1.7 trillion won," and "Calculations show that BTS has helped expand national wealth by about 56 trillion won over 10 years."

In response, Lee Ki-sik, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, said regarding the issue of applying military service exemptions to BTS, "We are reviewing it from various perspectives," but added, "For now, we are looking at it within the overall framework of alternative service." Regarding criticism that awards like the Billboard Awards and the Grammy Awards are excluded from military service exemption targets based on international competition achievements in the cultural and arts fields, he said, "Adding more popular culture artists could break the overall framework of military service exemptions, so we are carefully reviewing it."

Ki-sik Lee, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, is delivering a greeting at the National Defense Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 1st. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee Jong-seop, Minister of National Defense, also showed a cautious stance regarding the discussion on expanding military service exemptions. He emphasized, "A solution within the scope that does not touch on fundamental issues such as fairness, equity, and the reduction of military manpower."

However, Minister Lee said, "Although BTS will serve in the military, we are considering ways to allow them practice opportunities and to perform together if there are overseas concerts," adding, "Serving in the military itself is highly valued, so it could actually help their popularity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.