Sung Il-jong: "BTS Military Service Exemption Should Consider National Interest... Not About Excluding One Musician"

"42 Military Service Exemption Concours Competitions Exist
Need to Check Fairness Based on Old Standards"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Seong Il-jong, chairman of the Policy Committee of the People Power Party, argued on the 2nd that the BTS military service exemption should be viewed from the perspective of national interest.

In an interview with KBS Radio on the same day, Chairman Seong said, "Let's see what the public opinion is, and for that purpose, let's look at the reference materials," adding, "The important thing is whether the (military service exemption) is fair."

He stated, "There are currently 42 competitions that grant military service exemptions," and added, "Even domestically, if you win the Yoon Isang Concours, you don't have to serve in the military, and if you win the Seoul International Dance Concours, you also don't have to serve." He continued, "There are about seven such competitions in Korea," and added, "If you win the Korea Ballet Concours, Jeju International Wind Instrument Concours, Jeonju Daesaseupnori National Competition, or the National Newcomer Dance Competition, you are exempt from military service."

He then pointed out, "However, awards like the Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, and Billboard Awards have greatly elevated the country's brand, but when balanced against these, there is currently an imbalance."

Chairman Seong explained, "When these 42 criteria were established in the past, young people could not have imagined winning awards like the American Music Awards or Billboard Awards," and added, "Winning a gold medal at the Olympics generates an economic ripple effect of 269 billion won, but winning first place on Billboard for one week generates an effect of 1.7 trillion won."

He emphasized, "This is not the BTS law," and said, "If a second, third, or fourth BTS emerges, the country should operate fairly and provide the same opportunities; it is not about excluding any particular musicians."

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