Will accept call of duty: BTS to join mandatory military service

Band member Jin is expected to enlist in the army before the end of 2022 as per the country’s law

There was quite a furore amongst fans about popular South Korean Band BTS members joining the country’s mandatory military service as per the law. JIn, who is the eldest amongst the lot, took to social media to respond to all concerns regarding his military attendance. Sharing that all members of the band are going through a “hard time”, he announced that he will “accept the call of duty” and abide by his country’s law.

The boy band recently attended a press conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for their Permission To Dance On Stage concert where the topic came up.

Jin broke the silence on the subject as he took to the microblogging site to share the band’s response to the situation. As translated by Twitter, he wrote, “I talked a lot with the company and entrusted all military service-related tasks with the company.” The earlier mentioned press conference was also attended by HYBE’s CCO Lee Jin Hyung, the agency that manages BTS.

Q about the issue of military enlistment:
🐹 I talked a lot with the company and entrusted all military service-related tasks with the company. I think what we said at the company will soon be our words.*

*there is a back story to this that will be explained in the next tweets pic.twitter.com/vCiTTCj85H

— bora (slow) 🐢 (@modooborahae) April 10, 2022

He further added that the matter of their military service is in the hands of their agency now. “ BTS has already conveyed the message multiple times that they will accept the call of duty when the nation calls them, and they have not changed that opinion. 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 further added that “the agency told BTS that after the new amendment to the Military Service Act was proposed, we were wary of making a decision in regards to their military service, and the BTS members maturely accepted this and left the matter in the hands of the company.”

Jin summarised that the policy on military service is changing and the band is having a hard time dealing with it. “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.”

According to South Korea’s laws, all Korean men between the age of 18 and 28 are required to serve in the country’s military for about 20 months. The BTS members have been permitted to defer it, owing to a new amendment. According to this amendment, artists receive Korean ministry recommendations to postpone the mandatory service until they are 30. Jin, who will turn 30 on December 9 this year, is required to enlist in the military before the end of 2022.

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