"Are They Really Joining the Military?" What Do You Think About BTS's Military Service Exemption?

Fairness Violated vs. National Honor and Economic Benefits Must Be Considered
Political Circles Divided... Interest in Military Service Act Amendment

On the afternoon of the 1st, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it would not conduct a public opinion survey related to the 'BTS Military Service Special Case,' bringing the members' military service issues back into the spotlight. Opinions are divided among citizens as well as in the political sphere. The photo shows BTS arriving at the Grammy Awards ceremony last April. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Culture Young Intern Reporter] Controversy is arising over the special military service exemption for BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan). There are opposing views between those who argue that exemption from enlistment is possible due to their contribution to national prestige in various fields such as K-POP, and those who criticize it as unfair. Critics point out that their activities are merely as singers, not for the country.

Under the current Military Service Act, BTS members who qualify as 'Outstanding Individuals in the Field of Popular Culture and Arts' (persons with special skills in arts and sports designated by Presidential Decree and recommended by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism) can defer enlistment until the age of 30. However, member Jin (real name Kim Seokjin), born in 1992, must enlist by the end of this year unless the Military Service Act is amended.

◆ Unfairness vs. Consideration of National Prestige and Economic Benefits

Public opinion is divided. In a poll conducted by Korea Gallup in April with 1,004 citizens, 59% supported the exemption while 33% opposed it. According to a survey commissioned by KBC Gwangju Broadcasting and UPI News to the polling agency Nextweek Research, released on September 1, 57.7% supported granting military service exemption to BTS members, which was about 17.9 percentage points higher than the 39.5% opposition. Notably, among males under their 20s, opposition was 63.9%, about 30 percentage points higher than the 33.9% support.

Opponents of the military exemption emphasize the 'fairness of military duty.' One netizen mentioned borderline intellectual disability, atypical autism, and endoscopic resection for early stomach and colon cancer classified as grade 4, arguing, "Where else decides national defense duties by public opinion polls?" Other voices include, "Even if it is a prestigious overseas award, the criteria for winning are ambiguous," and "All youths’ prime years are equally precious, so it is unfair that some receive military exemptions while others do not."

On the other hand, supporters of BTS’s military exemption cite 'national prestige' and 'economic ripple effects.' One community post asked, "Is there anyone who has contributed to national prestige as much as BTS? Career interruption due to military service during their prime is a national loss." Another supporter said, "This opportunity should be used to set military exemption criteria based on the country's economic benefits rather than commercial activities."

In fact, this October, BTS will hold a free concert to promote the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo. Through this promotional concert, Busan City expects an economic benefit of 61 trillion won and the creation of 500,000 jobs.

◆ "What is Fair?" BTS Military Exemption Controversy in Politics

Various opinions are also emerging in the political arena regarding BTS’s military service issue. Former People Power Party lawmaker Lee Eon-ju wrote on her Facebook, "What is fair?" and stated, "While BTS ultimately promotes national prestige, their main motivation is personal gain or success, and their activities should be seen as private musical and profit-driven activities of individuals or their agency."

She added, "Exemptions should be limited to the minimum and have fair reasons and criteria," and questioned, "Currently, the Military Service Act Enforcement Decree applies to those with special skills in sports and arts who have won awards at events designated by the Military Manpower Administration such as the Olympics, Asian Games, and international arts competitions. Can BTS be considered similar to these cases?" drawing a clear distinction between athletes/artists and BTS.

Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Kyu-baek opposed the exemption citing the 'population cliff' issue. He said, "In countries with universal conscription, there can be no benefits just because someone earns a lot of money." Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi also emphasized, "The core of military duty is fairness," and "Taking care of active-duty soldiers should be the priority."

Popular culture critic Kim Heon-sik said, "The BTS military issue involves various parties such as artists, agencies, the Ministry of National Defense, and politicians," and added, "Even now, 'fairness' is being discussed among lawmakers, and since there is no public opinion poll, perhaps they are just leaving the possibility open."

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