'BTS Byeongyeok Special Act' Proposed... Is Alternative Military Service Possible Amid Divided Opinions?

BTS Awarded Order of Cultural Merit, Meets Criteria
Park Ji-won: "Discrimination Only If Not In Popular Culture"
Lim Jin-mo: "No Clear Conditions for Popular Culture"

BTS arrived at the 64th Grammy Awards venue set up at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA, last April and posed for photos. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] The so-called 'BTS Military Service Special Act,' which allows alternative military service for popular culture artists, has been proposed, sparking a heated debate over the special military service for BTS. As BTS member 'Jin (Kim Seok-jin)' is set to receive his enlistment notice starting next year, related agencies including the Military Manpower Administration maintain a negative stance.

On the 19th, Kim Young-bae, a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, officially proposed an amendment to the Military Service Act that permits alternative military service for popular culture artists such as the group BTS. According to the amendment, popular culture artists who have received cultural medals, cultural decorations, sports medals, or sports decorations will be added to the category of arts and sports personnel.

The current Military Service Act stipulates that individuals with special skills in the arts and sports fields, as designated by Presidential Decree and recommended by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, can be incorporated as arts and sports personnel. Those with special skills in arts and sports who have contributed to cultural development and national prestige by winning second place in international arts competitions or first place in domestic arts competitions serve 34 months as arts and sports personnel instead of military service.

Under the current law, popular culture artists such as BTS cannot be incorporated as arts and sports personnel because the enforcement decree of the Military Service Act does not define popular culture as a special skill in the arts and sports fields. However, according to the proposed amendment, BTS, who received the Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2018 for their contribution to the spread of Hallyu and the Korean language, meet the additional criteria for arts and sports personnel. This opens the path for alternative service as arts and sports personnel.

On the 20th, during the MBC program '100 Minutes Debate,' former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won stated, "If only other areas receive military service exemptions and popular culture does not, it is discrimination."
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Although the amendment to the Military Service Act has been proposed, the debate over the so-called 'BTS military service special case' remains intense. In this context, there is no clear public opinion, and recent poll results vary depending on the survey institution.

According to a survey conducted by Realmeter on the 18th, commissioned by the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, targeting 1,018 adult men and women nationwide, 60.9% were in favor and 34.3% opposed the review of the Military Service Act amendment. On the other hand, a survey conducted by Jowon C&I on 1,001 adult men and women nationwide on the 4th, commissioned by the online media Straight News, showed 40.1% in favor and 54.1% opposed.

On the 20th, the topic of BTS military service special case was featured on MBC's '100-Minute Debate.' Park Ji-won, former Director of the National Intelligence Service, speaking in favor, said, "If special military service is granted in other areas but not in popular culture, it is discrimination." He added, "Although the criteria are complex, the losses incurred would be greater," and argued, "The criteria can be established by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism." He further stated, "From the perspective that national prestige and contributions to culture and arts are greater national interests, popular culture artists should receive fair treatment."

On the other hand, Im Jin-mo, a music critic opposing the amendment, said, "Above all, the greatest reward is that the public recognizes, remembers, and loves them," adding, "That alone is sufficient, and granting special military service or exemption again violates fairness." Im pointed out, "Sports have clear conditions such as gold, silver, and bronze medals, and pure arts have clear rankings in competitions, but popular culture does not," and warned, "Applying special military service would involve many procedures."

Lee Gi-sik, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, is being interviewed at the Military Manpower Administration in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 19th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Related agencies such as the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration have expressed negative views on the BTS military service special case. On the 20th, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sun stated during the 4th plenary session of the National Assembly on foreign affairs, unification, and security, "Regarding the BTS military service issue, there is no change in the existing position that expanding the alternative military service system is difficult from the perspective of fairness in fulfilling military duties."

On the 19th, Military Manpower Administration Commissioner Lee Ki-sik said in an interview with Yonhap News, "We are currently reducing supplementary service, which is a special military service, so it is not appropriate to keep adding other categories to expand it." He emphasized, "If popular arts are included in the supplementary service system, discrimination, alienation, and frustration among young people serving active duty could increase," and added, "Linking BTS's achievements and rewards to fulfilling military duties requires social consensus from the perspective of fairness."

Soldiers are standing in a long line to cast their precious votes at an early voting station set up at the Segok-dong Community Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in 2018. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Meanwhile, among BTS members, the eldest Jin, born in 1992, is subject to enlistment notification starting next year. Suga (Min Yoon-gi), born in 1993, is due in 2024; RM (Kim Nam-joon) and J-Hope (Jung Ho-seok), born in 1994, in 2025; Jimin (Park Ji-min) and V (Kim Tae-hyung), born in 1995, in 2026; and the youngest Jungkook (Jeon Jung-kook), born in 1997, in 2028. Following the amendment to the Military Service Act last June, known as the 'BTS Enlistment Postponement Act,' popular culture artists who have received cultural medals or decorations can postpone enlistment until the age of 30 with a recommendation letter from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

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