There has been a lot of chatter revolving around BTS members’ military enlistment. Following their international milestones, ARMYs have their hopes pinned on the South Korean government to exempt BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook from the compulsory military training. With 28 being the cap for the maximum age until a South Korean man is allowed to wait to fulfill his mandatory military service, BTS members have already been given the permission to defer their military enlistment courtesy of a new amendment that was passed in December 2020.
As per the current law, BTS’ oldest member Jin — who is turning 30 (international age) this year — has to enlist for the military service by the end of 2022. Speaking about this during the press conference ahead of Permission To Dance On Stage in Las Vegas, Jin said that he has spoken about his military enlistment with his company. “I have talked a lot with the company about military service. I talked about how I would entrust it to the company as much as possible. I believe what the company has to say is as good as my say,” he said, as reported by AllKPop.
At the same press conference, HYBE CCO Lee Jin Hyung also spoke about BTS’ exemption from compulsory military service. As reported by Soompi, Lee Jin Hyung said that the BTS members have left the matter of their military service in the hands of the company and as the members have already said in the past, they will be ready to head for their service for their duty when the nation calls them. “However, the policy on military service has changed a little, and as the members are experiencing changes to the Military Service Act that they did not expect, they are currently monitoring the situation while discussing the matter with the company,” he said.
When the company communicated they were wary of making a decision in regard to their military service after the new amendment to the Military Service Act was proposed, the members ‘maturely accepted’ this and have left the concern in the hands of the company, Lee Jin Hyung added.
“To put it precisely, the policy on military service is changing, and it’s true that the BTS members are having a hard time because it’s difficult for them to predict the timing [of their military service]. Since it’s difficult for them to make plans, both the BTS members and the company are currently keeping a close eye on the proposed amendment. Ultimately, we plan to do our utmost so that a decision can be reached that is beneficial to both our society and BTS,” he said.
Given that BTS’ military service holds an interest of people across the globe, Lee Jin Hyung says that ‘it appears that the debate [over the issue] is nearing an end both within society and within the National Assembly.’ He hopes that the issue is resolved within the current National Assembly. “If the issue passes on to the next National Assembly, the debate will continue without any promises, and because it’s true that the uncertainty [over BTS’s military service] is making things difficult, we hope that [the National Assembly] will reach a decision as soon as possible,” he added.
Meanwhile, BTS is currently in Las Vegas as part of their four-day Permission To Dance On Stage — Las Vegas concert. The group is yet to announce its new album.
