South Korea's defense minister has said he will consider conducting an opinion poll on exemption from military service for members of the globally active Korean male idol group BTS.
However, there are voices of opposition to such a policy, and the Korean government is being forced to take a difficult response as the deadline for the oldest member's enlistment approaches.
Korean men are obliged to serve in the military, and as a general rule, they are supposed to join the military by the age of 28 at the latest, but those who have contributed to the "popular culture and arts field" can postpone enlistment until the age of 30. Yes, BTS members are eligible for this.
The oldest member is now 29 years old and will be required to enlist in the military this year, but there are also voices in South Korea that the globally active BTS should be exempt from military service.
Regarding this, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop said at the National Assembly on August 31, ``We will set a deadline and make a decision within it. He indicated that he would consider conducting a public opinion poll to find out his intentions.
However, the Chosun Ilbo, a leading South Korean newspaper, reported on the Internet that there were voices of opposition, such as, "Which country is there to decide on their national defense obligations based on public opinion polls?" The South Korean government is faced with a difficult response as the deadline for the enlistment of members of .