While this bill does not mention BTS by name, there is little doubt that the group’s success and reputation played a role in its passage. This measure will allow entertainers recommended by South Korea’s culture ministry to postpone military service until they reach the age of 30.
On December 9, 2020, the South Korean government revised a law to allow internationally recognized K-pop artists to postpone their mandatory military service until they are 30 years old. This measure was established expressly to make exceptions for K-pop superstars who contribute to the economy and promote the culture of South Korea. BTS, one of the most well-known K-pop groups in the world, was the main attraction on this bill.
South Korean legislation mandates obligatory military duty for all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28. “All citizens shall have the duty of national defense within the conditions as stipulated by Act,” says Article 39 of South Korea’s constitution, which went into effect in July 1948. Men in South Korea must serve in the military when they become 19 years old, according to the Military Service Act of 1949, which went into effect in 1957.
Enlistment for military service in the country begins at the age of eighteen. Enlistment means “a person under obligation to serve in the military enters the military unit through conscription, call-up, or application,” according to the Military Service Act. Women in South Korea are not required to serve in the military, but they may do so if they desire.
Military service in South Korea lasts about 18 months, making it one of the world’s longest, but the time varies depending on the branch of the military where the service is performed. Those who serve as active-duty soldiers and those who serve as non-active duty personnel are separated in the military.
Active service soldiers in the South Korean Army and Marine Corps serve for one year and six months in the Army and Marine Corps, respectively. They serve for one year and eight months in the Navy and one year and nine months in the Air Force.
Non-active duty personnel operates as ‘public service worker’ for one year and nine months in various branches of the government.
Also READ: Which Indian movie has won Oscar?
