Will BTS go to military service or not? South Korean authorities will debate a congressman’s proposal that seeks to benefit the interpreters of “Butter
What happened at the meeting that would evaluate BTS’s military service? According to reports from 10Asia and SpoTVNews, the amendment to the law was never discussed at the National Defense Commission due to lack of time. At the meeting, another 10 topics that had priority on the agenda were discussed.
BTS’s military service is back on the table for discussion. According to local press, a subcommittee of the South Korean National Defense Commission will meet this Thursday, September 9 (KST) to debate whether Bangtan will be exempt from enlisting, a mandatory practice for all male citizens of that Asian country.
Although a modification was approved in February of this year with the benefit of deferring entry into military service with requirements that benefited the septet, recently there was another proposed amendment to exempt idols from 18-month training in the military.
On June 25, Legislator Yoon Sang Kyung submitted a revision to the law so that prominent K-pop artists who have raised their country’s name will be transferred as artistic or sports agents instead of active duty.
The current norm that regulates these transfers dates from 1973. To date, those athletes who have won the Olympic Games or ASIAN tournaments are eligible, and in the musical field it benefits classical music performers who have obtained first places in international art competitions.
The National Defense Commission has on its agenda the evaluation of that request at the meeting of September 9.
It should be added that BTS members have indicated on various occasions that they are willing to perform military service when they are summoned.
On the other hand, the South Korean Music Content Association (KMCA / MCON) expressed its support for the proposal to exempt K-pop artists from military service and its disagreement with the Defense Commission’s arguments for not approving the modification.
In the report of the aforementioned Commission (reproduced by Top Star News and YTN), the state entity argues that it is not possible to standardize the criteria to evaluate which artists can benefit from this amendment.
They express that there is a lack of confidence in the public that the indicators are applied legitimately and without preferences.
“In the field of pop music it is difficult to establish an objective fence of eligibility unlike athletes and the Olympic Games,” the report reads.
In addition, they slide that the relevance of a sporting achievement would have greater value than one achieved in the field of pop music.
In response, KMCA secretary Choi Kwang Ho argued that “the public also questions the benefits of military service in the pure arts, even if it wins a national newspaper competition.”
Choi added that the ‘b-boy’ (folk art) dancers will compete internationally at the Hangzhou Asian Games next year and will receive benefits for the possibility of receiving medals. He slipped that a ‘reverse discrimination’ to pop performers.
