There has been much debate about BTS’ military service as some of the members approach the age of 30. On Wednesday, it was announced that a decision regarding the same will be made before the end of the year.
On October 5, Minister Park Bo Kyun of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) attended the National Assembly’s parliamentary inspection of the administration and has promised that the resolution to the discussion surrounding BTS’s military service will be decided by December of this year.
During the parliamentary audit, People Power Party member Lee Yong Ho had asked Minister Park to review the issue of BTS’s military service. Minister Park responded as quoted by Soompi, “Member Jin’s enlistment is set to be sorted out by December, but the MCST will finalize our stance before that.”
Minister Park added, “We are comprehensively reviewing the issue by looking at various aspects including the points that national defense is a sacred duty, military service is a symbol of fairness, BTS has made Korea known as the vanguard of K-culture and created a huge economic ripple effect. There are equity issues between popular artistes including BTS and those who practice fine arts. This will affect the group when one of the BTS members joins the army. There are [results of] public opinion analysis and opinions of men in their 20s, and so on.”
Jin, the eldest member of BTS, was born in 1992 and will turn 30 this year. According to the 2020 amendment to the Military Service Act, he would have to enlist for military service. However, if the new amendment to the Military Service Act goes through, BTS would not need to fulfill the military obligations. On the other hand, if the exemption is shot down, Jin would enlist in the military next year. Other BTS members RM, Suga and J-Hope, who are approaching 30, would have to follow the same protocol as well.
At a press conference in Las Vegas in April, Jin had addressed the subject and said, “I talked a lot with the company and entrusted all military service-related tasks with the company.” HYBE had also asserted that BTS would “answer the call of duty” without hesitation if needed and the members have been maturely handling the situation. The agency also admitted that the group was having a hard time as the policy keeps changing, but they’re keeping a close eye on the new amendment.
All Korean men between the age of 18 and 28 are required to serve in the country’s military for about 20 months. BTS members have been permitted to defer it, owing to a new amendment. According to this amendment, artistes receive Korean ministry recommendations to postpone the mandatory service until they are 30.
