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| ▲This photo, provided by Yonhap New Agency, shows Lee Jong-seop, the Minister of National Defense. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, October 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's defense minister Lee Jong-seop spoke on Tuesday regarding the military service issue of the group BTS, "I think it is desirable for BTS to serve the mandatory military service in terms of fairness and equity."
South Korea's defense minister answered like this at the National Assembly's national defense committee, Parliamentary Inspection of the Administration to the question of a member of the Democratic Party asking "Do you agree with the amendment bill to grant special military service to BTS?."
Jin (30, real name Kim Seok-jin), the oldest member of BTS, has had his military service postponed until the end of the year and will be subject to enlistment notice next year.
A member of the democratic party asked the Minster's opinion, saying "According to a survey of public opinion conducted by the National Assembly's national defense committee, more people have shown positive opinions on exempting BTS from the mandatory military service."
Despite his opposition to BTS' exemption from mandatory military service, the minister responded that he would respect the outcome if the National Assembly amended the military service act.
There are several current pending approvals for military service act amendments regarding giving military service exemptions to popular artists such as BTS.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Dowon Kim.)
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