BTS will have to do military service in their native South Korea.
Since 1957, the East Asian country has had compulsory conscription for male citizens between the ages of 18 and 28 due to the tensions with neighbouring North Korea with exceptions only made to athletes or artists who win international competitions on behalf of the country.
Not one of the seven members of the K-pop group – V, J-Hope, RM, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook and Suga – are yet to serve and as Jin turns 27 in December he will soon have to begin his service, which lasts between 18 and 22 months depending on what part of the military the individual enters.
The Hollywood Reporter has obtained a statement from South Korean officials which reveals that no exception will be made for the ‘Boy With Luv’ hitmakers, but they are reviewing the policy for the future.
The statement read: "The Ministry of Defence is currently debating with related authorities on improving the current alternate service (programme) in place of conscription, but nothing has been decided as to when a change may take effect."
Fans of BTS have been pleading with the South Korean government to grant the boy band members exemption.
Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min and his South Korea teammates all earned an exemption from military service when they beat Japan to win gold in the Asian Games soccer tournament in September 2018.
Jin previously addressed the issue of national service insisting that he and his bandmates were ready to their duty.
In an interview with CBS, he said: "As a Korean, it’s natural, and someday, when duty calls we’ll be ready to respond and do our best."
BTS resume their ‘Love Yourself: Speak Yourself’ world tour after a break at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 11.
BTS must do military service in South Korea
