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On Thursday, May 2, Commissioner of Military Manpower Administration Lee Ki-shik shared his opinion on the special military service exemption given to sports and arts personnel after observing BTS members’ military activities. In December 2023, RM, V Jimin, and Jungkook became the last members of the K-pop boy group BTS, joining Jin, J-Hope, and Suga to complete their national duties as per South Korean military law.
Before their enlistment, there was a huge debate among Korean netizens about whether the group should receive a special military exemption or not; however, the BTS members had consistently showcased their willingness to complete their national duties.
In an interview with Yonhap News, the commissioner stated that he evaluated the Dynamite singers' performance in terms of fairness in their military conscription duties, which gave him a “positive signal.”
According to the report, the South Korean government plans to form a task force with ministries like the Ministry of National Defense, the Military Manpower Administration, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. This team will reportedly work to improve the military service exemption system in 2024.
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Commissioner Lee Ki-shik shares his thoughts on BTS’ future following military discharge in 2025
On May 2, Commissioner Lee Ki-shik opened up the special provision of military service for sports and arts personnel who have achieved international recognition for their performances. He stated that the requirement may be eliminated, however, nothing has been confirmed yet. Public opinion and fairness in fulfilling the military obligation will be the criteria for the plan to make changes in the system.
The BIGHIT MUSIC boy group is known for their music all across the globe. Kim Taehyung has garnered attention from fans and netizens for joining the Special Duty Team following his five-week basic training. The singer reportedly underwent an additional three weeks of training to meet the requirements of joining the SDT.
The SDT is a military police force that tackles acts of violence and terrorist incidents. Commissioner Lee Ki-shik, in his latest interview, acknowledged Kim Taehyung’s activities and the success of the group's songs on international music charts.
“The public is watching BTS members diligently serve in the military after being selected for military police special missions (SDT) or boot camp assistants, and their songs are even on the Billboard charts.”
He further commented on the future of the Butter singers following the completion of their services.
“All BTS members are discharged from military service. If they become a complete group again, their popularity will increase further.”
Jin is set to be discharged from military service this year
Jin was the first among the members to begin his military service on December 12, 2022. Followed by rapper J-Hope on April 18, 2023, and Suga on September 22, 2023. All group members are expected to reunite and begin their activities in 2025.
Jin will be discharged from his duties before the 11th debut anniversary of the group on June 12, and J-Hope will be discharged in October this year, increasing anticipation among fans. Meanwhile, other members are expected to be discharged in 2025.
Besides their military service, their agency has opened a pop-up store named “BTS POP UP: MONOCHROME” at AGAIN, 12, Seongdong-gu in Seoul, South Korea. The store started operations on Friday, April 26, and will be open until Sunday, May 12, 2024.
