Four BTS members to begin S.Korean military service mid-December - media

HYBE

29/11/2023 08:30

SEOUL, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The remaining four members of
K-pop supergroup BTS will begin their military service in
mid-December, joining the three who are already serving, South
Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday, citing music
industry sources.
    The seven-member group is on temporary break while members
carry out South Korea's mandatory military service.
    South Korea has one of the world's largest active armies to
defend against North Korea, with all able-bodied men between the
ages of 18 and 28 required to serve between 18 and 21 months.
    There has, however, been public debate over whether BTS
members should be given exemptions considering their
contributions to the lucrative K-pop industry.
    The group's main rapper and leader RM and vocalist V will
enlist on Dec. 11, while Jimin and Jung Kook will follow suit
the next day, Yonhap reported.
    After initial training, the four will serve as active-duty
army soldiers for 18 months, according to another report in
entertainment media outlet Star News.
    BTS' management agency HYBE, which has said the four had
begun the process of enlistment, did not immediately respond to
a request for comment. Earlier this month, Jung Kook announced
in a blog post he would serve in the military in December.
    Jin, 30, the group's oldest member, is set to be discharged
from military service in June.

 (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park
Editing by Ed Davies and Peter Graff)
 ((Hyunsu.Yim@thomsonreuters.com;))