KBS responded to the petition for singer Park Seo-jin's departure from 'Salim Nam', which was embroiled in military exemption controversy.
The production team of KBS2's 'Salim Nam' (hereinafter 'Salim Nam') posted a response on the KBS viewer petition board on the 27th, saying, "We appreciate the heartfelt message from the viewer regarding participant Park Seo-jin," addressing the petition for his departure related to military exemption.
'Salim Nam' stated, "Although it belongs to the entertainment genre as a public broadcasting KBS program, we are always contemplating the social responsibility that broadcasting entails. Therefore, we are very regretful about this controversy."
It continued, "As reported by various media, participant Park Seo-jin has been exempted from military service for legitimate reasons through several physical examinations, and the term 'avoiding military service' you mentioned does not seem appropriate. Furthermore, the interview that sparked controversy has been clarified and apologized for through a post directly uploaded by Park Seo-jin. 'Salim Nam' focuses on the weight and responsibility of being the head of a family rather than the glamorous image of celebrities on stage."
Additionally, 'Salim Nam' stated, "Since joining 'Salim Nam' in January, Park Seo-jin has not only taken on the family’s livelihood by working at sea in place of his parents who have been battling cancer since childhood, but he has also experienced the tragic loss of two siblings. This family history has been revealed through our broadcast. The reason for his military exemption was also stated to be due to a condition arising from this upbringing."
It added, "Although he could not honestly disclose it in the controversial interview, he confided in our production team about the reasons for his military exemption before appearing on 'Salim Nam', and we have observed his treatment process for a year. The glamorous image of singer Park Seo-jin on stage is one thing, but our production team, which observes the personal daily life and inner self of the participant, sees a young man in his 20s who is still overcoming life's adversities and growing. We aim to sincerely capture this process and provide empathy, comfort, and support to viewers who are experiencing their own life hardships."
Finally, it added, "Due to this controversy, we will strive to capture the daily lives of our participants honestly with a more responsible attitude, as much as the interest shown by many viewers."
Furthermore, the production team emphasized in another petition from Park Seo-jin, "He was exempted from military service for legitimate reasons, and while we cannot fully understand the details regarding his relationship with fans and past assistance from reporters, we believe that there are no moral or legal issues that would determine his participation in our program." They pledged to show a more sincere side with gratitude.
Previously, it was revealed late that Park Seo-jin had received military exemption, and his agency stated, "Park Seo-jin was diagnosed with a mental illness due to family issues and received military exemption in his early 20s." Park Seo-jin has publicly shared his unfortunate family history on various broadcasts. It is known that he lost two older brothers who suffered from chronic kidney disease and liver cancer, and that his mother was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer.
However, it was revealed that Park Seo-jin, who received military exemption in his early 20s, made statements in an interview that suggested he was about to enlist, leading to controversy over dishonesty.
Ultimately, Park Seo-jin apologized on his fan cafe, saying, "I am only sorry to greet you with news that has caused concern," and explained, "I was classified as a 7th-grade re-examination target in the military examination I received at the age of 20 in November 2014, and after several re-examinations, I was finally classified as a 5th-grade reserve for wartime labor in 2018."
He continued, "In a past interview, when asked, 'What are your goals at an age when you are about to enlist?' it was difficult to immediately say that I had already received military exemption. Therefore, I answered that my goal was to have a hit song, which I had always dreamed of. I never expected this answer would lead to such a big issue," and he bowed his head, saying, "I sincerely apologize once again to everyone who felt disappointed by this incident."
