South Korean Government Official Pushes for BTS to Be Exempt from Country's Military Service

The members of BTS may soon be in the clear when it comes to South Korea's mandatory military service.

The country currently requires all able-bodied men to serve around two years before they turn 30 — and with BTS' oldest member nearing the milestone birthday, one government official is fighting to have the K-pop superstars exempted.

Hwang Hee, South Korea's Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister, argued at a press briefing on Wednesday that pop stars like BTS have promoted their country's image abroad, and that should be seen as enough of an act of service to allow them not to have to serve in the military.

"It's time to create a system for incorporating popular culture-art figures as art personnel," Hwang said, according to the Yonhap News Agency. "The [exemption] system has been operated meaningfully to give those who have enhanced the national status based on their excellent skills more chances to contribute to the country, and there is no reason the popular art-culture field should be excluded from this. I thought somebody should be a responsible voice at a time when there are conflicting pros and cons ahead of the enlistment of some of the BTS members."

The military law was previously amended in 2020 to move the age limit up from 28 to 30 years old.

Hwang is reportedly pushing to pass a law through Parliament that would make official the exemptions, which are already in place for other exceptional citizens, like Olympic athletes and top classical musicians. He has reportedly faced opposition, namely from men who have already done their time.

Jin, BTS' oldest member, will turn 30 in December. His bandmates, while younger, are also approaching the deadline; Suga is 29, J-Hope is 28, RM is 27, Jimin and V are 26 and Jungkook is 24.

"I think the country sort of told me, 'You're doing this well, and we will give you a little bit more time,'" Jin told Rolling Stone last year of the 2020 amendment. "[Military service] is an important duty for our country. So I feel that I will try to work as hard as I can and do the most I can until I am called."

He added that if he is called to serve, he'll be "sad," but will be "watching [BTS] on the internet and cheering them on."

V, meanwhile, told RS that the group hadn't "discussed [military service] in the specifics," but was "sure it'll work out eventually."

The group recently announced their new album Proof will be out on June 10.