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Members of K-pop group BTS face possible military conscription

BTS
Posted at 4:32 PM, Oct 07, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-07 17:37:41-04

Should members of the K-pop supergroup BTS be forced to serve in South Korea's military?

That is the million-dollar question the country's lawmakers are scrambling to find an answer to.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men between 18 and 30 are required to serve between 18 and 21 months of military service, ABC News reported.

ABC News reported that the maximum age limit was raised from 28 to 30 in December 2020 after parliament in Seoul passed a bill that allowed global K-pop stars to put off enlisting in the military until they were 30.

The media outlet reported that the issue could reach a boiling point since Jin, the oldest member of BTS, turns 30 in December.

But, according to the law, some can be exempt from serving, ABC reported.

According to the news outlet, athletes and musicians can be given special exemptions if they win top prizes in specific international competitions because it enhances national prestige.

The Associated Press reported that this week, two government agency officials told lawmakers they'd want BTS members to serve because it would ensure fairness.

With pressure mounting, Culture Minister Park Bo Gyoon said his ministry would make a decision soon, the Associated Press reported.