Will BTS Be Eligible for the First Artist Military Service Exemption?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] It appears virtually impossible to apply military service exemptions to the group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan). This contradicts Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop's statement the previous day regarding the controversy over BTS's military service exemption, where he said, "(BTS) can join the military but be given practice time and be allowed to perform overseas."

On the 2nd, a Ministry of Defense official said, "Minister Lee's remarks at the National Assembly the day before can be interpreted as meaning that military enlistment should be without discrimination, and BTS's military service exemption may be difficult under the relevant laws."

At the Defense Committee briefing held at the National Assembly the previous day, Minister Lee responded to a question about the possibility of military service exemption for BTS by saying, "The Ministry of Defense has reviewed it, and within the scope that does not disrupt principles such as fairness, equity, and the reduction of military manpower, and from the perspective of national interest, they can continue to perform."

However, Lee Ki-sik, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, said, "Currently, adding popular culture artists to the existing alternative service categories could break the overall framework of military service exemptions," adding, "We are reviewing this carefully, and the number of alternative service personnel is gradually being reduced."

The current Military Service Act stipulates that individuals with special skills in arts and sports, as designated by Presidential Decree and recommended by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, can be incorporated as arts and sports personnel.

However, since there are no proper criteria for popular artists, most have been excluded from military service exemptions so far. Due to BTS's global activities, there have been claims that excluding them violates fairness with other cultural artists.

Accordingly, the Military Service Act was partially amended in 2020 to allow enlistment deferment up to age 30 only for those who received cultural medals or awards and were recognized by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism for significant contributions to national prestige. The member who benefited from this amendment is Jin (real name Kim Seok-jin), born in 1992.

His enlistment has been postponed until this year, but since the military service exemption benefit does not apply, Jin must enlist next year unless the Military Service Act is further amended.

Currently, a bill to amend the Military Service Act to include popular culture artists as arts personnel and allow alternative service is pending in the National Assembly.

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