Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-kyun shares, “BTS’s military service exemption? Public opinion is really important”
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-kyun maintained a cautious stance on the military service exemption issue related to idol group BTS.
Minister Park Bo-kyun held an inaugural press conference at the Sejong Government Complex on July 4th. On this day, he received various questions and he also revealed his thoughts on BTS’s military service exemption issue.
Minister Park Bo-kyun said, “Although a regulatory reform for the free activities of creators in the cultural policy has been promised, public opinion should be the first thing to be considered when discussing military service exemption for pop culture artists, which became a hot topic because of BTS’s military service issue”.
He continued, “BTS has raised our national brand overwhelmingly”, adding, “There is a problem of equity between basic arts and popular arts, and military service is a divine duty. I believe public opinion is more important than anything else.”
Earlier in May, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee said in a news conference before he resigned and emphasized the need for an amendment to the Military Service Act, which should include military service exemption for pop culture artists, such as BTS.
In this regard, the revision of the Military Service Act, which calls for highly accomplished pop culture artists to be allowed to transfer to alternative service as art personnel, is still pending in the National Assembly.
Source: daum
