‘Social Service Worker’ BTS’s Suga Won’t Be Disciplined By The Military For Drunk Driving, Active-Duty Soldiers Complain

On August 7th, the Seoul Yongsan Police Station revealed that they recently booked BTS’s Suga (real name Min Yoon-gi) on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act after he was caught riding an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, on the 6th. Although Suga has been serving in the military as a social service worker since September last year, he will be punished as a civilian rather than a soldier or a public official. According to the Military Manpower Administration, If a social service worker commits a crime outside working hours, there is no secondary disciplinary action other than civil punishment.

The regulations for managing social service workers include provisions on “Obligations to maintain dignity (Article 8)” and “Scope of acts disrupting work discipline (Article 29-2)”. However, these regulations do not apply to actions taken outside of working hours, even for social service workers. An official from the Military Manpower Administration stated, “There are no separate status measures under the Military Service Act for matters occurring outside working hours”, adding “It is because it is not related to military work. This rule applies equally to all social service workers.”

The social service worker system is for those classified as alternative military service after receiving an examination, allowing them to serve in public institutions or other areas where public service is needed. In contrast, active-duty soldiers, who are judged fit for active service and serve in the military, will be subject to the Military Criminal Act and are tried in military courts if they commit crimes while off-duty. 

In response, some people who served as active-duty soldiers wondered, “Does this mean we can also drink and drive outside working hours?”. Kim, who has been discharged from the Marine Corps, complained, “It is true that both active-duty soldiers and public service workers suffer hardships during the military service period, but isn’t it unfair for active-duty soldiers, who have to serve under harsher conditions?”, adding “It seems that fair standards should be applied, such as strengthening regulations of punishment for social service workers”.

Meanwhile, BTS’s Suga already released an apology for his drunk driving issue.