BTS: K-pop group to complete South Korea military service
Members of the K-pop band BTS will fulfill their mandatory military service duties in South Korea, the group's management company has said.
The announcement effectively ends a debate on exempting the band because of their artistic accomplishments.
Big Hit Music said the popstars are "honoured to serve".
South Korea's parliament passed a bill in 2020 which allowed K-pop stars like BTS to delay their military service until they turned 30.
The label said the band's oldest member, Jin, 29, will revoke his request to delay his conscription at the end of the month and undertake the required conscription steps.
The six other members also plan to serve in the military, according to the company's notice to financial regulators, which it described as management-related information that could possibly affect investment decisions.
Big Hit issued another statement on Twitter, saying the company and BTS members are "looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment".
No further information on the timing of their service was given.
The band members performed together in Busan over the weekend in support of the city's Expo bid, but only solo projects appear to be planned until 2025.
The announcement came after Lee Ki Sik, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, told legislators this month that it would be "desirable" for BTS members to complete their military duties to ensure fairness in the country's military service.
Whether the BTS members must serve had been a hotly debated issue in South Korea as Jin faced possible enlistment early next year after turning 30 in December.
Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men aged between 18 and 28 are required to perform 18-21 months of military service.
But special exemptions have been granted for athletes and artists who excel in certain international competitions that have been tied with national prestige.
In 2020, South Korean and Tottenham Hotspur forward Heung-min Son completed his national service.
He had originally been required to serve 21 months, but he was given an exemption for being part of the South Korean team that won the Asian Games in 2018 and, as a result, the service was shortened to three weeks.
Since South Korea's draft interrupts young males in their professional careers or studies, the dodging of military duties or creation of exemptions is a highly sensitive issue.
Opinion surveys in recent weeks showed that the public was split over whether the BTS members should serve in the military.
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