Source: Global Times
[Global Times Comprehensive Report] "To promote K-POP (Korean Wave) around the world and win glory for the country, should BTS (BTS) be exempted from enlisting in the army?" For a long time, should we give the Korean group BTS? Controversy over military service privileges continues in Korean society. Recently, the controversy has finally come to an end: BTS’s company announced on the 17th that Jin Seokjin (JIN), the oldest member of BTS, will apply to the Korean Military Manpower Administration at the end of October to “cancel the postponement of enlistment” and fulfill his military service obligations .
Born on December 4, 1992, JIN will be 30 years old at the end of this year. According to South Korea's "Military Service Law", Korean men over the age of 18 must enter the camp for military service before the age of 30. JIN was previously recommended by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea, and was allowed to postpone the camp entry date until the end of this year. At that time, it was generally speculated that JIN might receive the admission notice early next year. However, as Jin plans to apply for the cancellation of the postponement of camp before the end of October, he will go to the military service at the earliest or before the end of the year.
"Military service is a big test for Korean idol boy groups." Yonhap News Agency said that Korean boy groups such as SUPER JUNIOR and EXO have members who have taken turns enlisting in the army before. In terms of age, Min Yoongi (SUGA), born in 1993 in the BTS group, will be the next member to join the army, and other members of the team (the youngest was born in 1997) will also enlist in succession. It will not appear until 2025 at the earliest.
In fact, long before this year, some Korean lawmakers proposed to give BTS preferential treatment for military service. "Korea Daily" stated on the 18th that South Korea's current "Military Service Law" stipulates that those who are skilled in the fields of art and sports will be treated as "exceptional military service" and do not need to enlist in the army. However, popular pop culture is not included in the field of "art". Although BTS has repeatedly won honors in the internationally renowned pop music charts, it cannot obtain special benefits for military service. Since 2018, the National Assembly of South Korea has submitted the "Military Service Law Amendment Bill" aimed at "incorporating popular culture into the category of art" three times, but none of them have been passed. Recently, after BTS served as the publicity ambassador for the 2030 Busan World Expo, the mayor of Busan even directly proposed to the South Korean President’s Office to give BTS preferential military service, but ultimately failed.
"BTS joins the army and loses the opportunity to earn 5 trillion won every year." "Seoul Shimbun" quoted a report from Forbes on the 18th, saying that according to the Korea Modern Economic Research Institute, BTS contributes 3.6 billion US dollars in foreign exchange income to the Korean economy every year. Some experts estimate that from 2014 to 2023, BTS is expected to create an added value of 29.1 billion US dollars to the Korean economy. Therefore, for South Korea, BTS's enlistment means that South Korea loses the opportunity to earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange every year. On the 18th, the stock price of HYBE, the subsidiary company of BTS, rose instead of falling. Yonhap News Agency stated that the issue of BTS's enlistment had already suppressed the company's stock price to a certain extent, but the decision to enlist this time effectively eliminated uncertainty. On the 18th, the spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense of South Korea was asked at a regular press conference whether "BTS is allowed to participate in performances after enlisting in the army." , will provide opportunities". Earlier, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop also said, "Even when BTS is serving in the military, they can go overseas to participate in performances that are beneficial to the national interest." (Kim Hye Jin)