During the National Defense Committee's audit of the Military Manpower Administration, issues regarding the fairness of military service exemptions were raised.
On the 20th, at the audit held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, the chairman of the National Defense Committee, Seong Il-jong of the People Power Party, claimed that “BTS could have been exempted from military service just by changing the enforcement decree of the Military Service Act,” arguing that there is a fairness issue.
Chairman Seong suggested that the enforcement decree of the Military Service Act should be amended to include those who have received international music awards like BTS as art and sports personnel.
According to the current Military Service Act, 'art and sports personnel' are those who have contributed to cultural development and national prestige by placing 2nd in international art competitions or 1st in domestic art competitions, allowing them to serve as art and sports personnel for 34 months instead of military service.
Chairman Seong asked, “If you win a Nobel Prize, whether in literature or chemistry, you are not exempt from military service,” to which Hong So-young, the head of the Military Manpower Administration, replied, “Currently, that is the case.”
In response, Chairman Seong pointed out, “Even if you win global music awards like the Grammy, Billboard, or American Music Awards, you are not exempt from military service. However, over the past 10 years, more than 210 people have benefited from military service exemptions by winning at 'nominal international competitions'.”
Currently, among the 35 competitions recognized for military service exemptions for 'art and sports personnel', 11 are held domestically. It is known that all participants in 5 of these 11 competitions are South Korean nationals.
Chairman Seong questioned, “If 91% of those who benefited are from domestic competitions that are merely nominal international competitions, is this fair and balanced?” to which Hong, the head of the Military Manpower Administration, replied, “There are doubts about fairness.”
Chairman Seong also pointed out, “How can any citizen accept and recognize it as fair that those who have not provided significant benefits to South Korea have received military service benefits while those who have generated an economic effect of 56 trillion won like BTS are not exempt?”
Director Hong responded, “We will actively improve this in consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.”
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
