South Korean pop stars BTS, just like other bodied male borns in their home country, South Koreas are expected to serve in the military for a total of 18 months.
The popular band grabbed more attention worldwide in the just ended 64th Grammy Awards which came off on April 3, Sunday, 2022, in Las vegas as they performed their hit song ‘Butter’.
South Korea’s mandatory military service?
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South Korea’s laws require all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 to 28 to enroll in compulsory military service. South Korea’s constitution, implemented in July 1948 states in Article 39: “All citizens shall have the duty of national defense under the conditions as prescribed by Act.” South Korea’s Military Service Act of 1949, implemented in 1957, states that compulsory military service is required for men when they turn 19 years old.
With that being said, South Africa’s Parliament some time back passed a law to allow BTS to postpone mandatory military service to age 30.
The amendment to the Military Service Act was designed to provide exceptions for K-pop megastars who improve the country’s cultural status and boost the economy. South Korea allows eligible students to defer their duties up to age 28 and has granted exemptions for high-profile classical musicians and athletes who won Olympic medals or gold at the Asian Games, including Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min.
As said above, the time frame given was up to age 30, but time is fast approaching and as it stands starting from December this year, some members of the band will have to put a hold on their talent to get into the military to serve their country for 18 months.
Kim Seok-Jin, who goes by the name Jin and is the band’s oldest member, turns 30 in December, sparking speculation that he may well be soon swapping dance moves for military moves.
He will be joined by Suga, who is currently 29, J-Hope, 28, RM, 27, Jimin, 26, V, 26, and Jungkook, 24.
In a recent interview with Sunday Times, South Korea’s ambassador to Great Britain, Gunn Kim said that just like everyone else, the K-pop band has the same obligations, obligations of joining the South Korean military to protect their country, and they are not exceptional.
“It is very much expected that young Korean men serve the country and those BTS members are role models for many young generation Koreans.
“I’m pretty sure they will fulfil their obligation to society”, he said, hours after North Korea tested what appeared to be its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile to date, although South Korean and US intelligence has since questioned that”. Gunn added.
The BTS will join a long line of well-known names who have served time in the military over the decades.
Research shows that many citizens who chose to go contrary to the laws that says they should join the military ended up in jails, behind bars.
Also Read: 2022 FIFA World Cup: Ghana to face Uruguay, Portugal & South Korea in Group H
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