Many people have been discussing BTS’ enlistment issue for a long time.
Recently, on MBC’s “100-minute Debate”, former NIS director Park Ji-won and pop music critic Lim Jin-mo held a debate on the pros and cons of BTS‘ enlistment.
When the eldest brother Jin announced that he would fulfill his military service, some netizens suggested that BTS members be sent to the Dokdo Security Police.
Since BTS is influential around the world, it is said that if they serve in the military on Dokdo, it will be a good opportunity to inform that Dokdo is Korean territory.
In addition, some people argued that if BTS were to serve in the military on Dokdo, they could promote the East Sea and increase Ulleungdo’s tourism income.
Politicians also mentioned BTS’ military service on Dokdo. In 2020, Noh Woong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, officially proposed to publicize military service exemptions for BTS, which topped Billboard’s main single chart “Hot 100” for the first time in Korean pop music’s history.
Mr. Noh said, “BTS achieved an economic ripple effect of 1.7 trillion won by being No.1 on the Billboard chart, and the value of spreading Hallyu and promoting national prestige can’t be estimated. Let’s make BTS participate in Dokdo’s overseas promotion without pay.”
However, some expressed concern about this idea. It can help increase Korea’s Dokdo sovereignty awareness internationally, but it may rather instill the perception that Dokdo is a disputed area with Japan.
Despite these discussions, it is virtually impossible for BTS to serve in the Dokdo Security Police.
In principle, no military is stationed on Dokdo. Police, not soldiers, work there because the auxiliary police system, one of the current military service transition services, has been abolished.
After the 1120th Conscripted Police Force, which was selected in May 2018 and joined the military at the end of the same year, the Dokdo Security Police is no longer recruiting conscripted policemen.
Therefore, those who are eligible for active service cannot go to the Dokdo Security Police.
Meanwhile, the acting deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Moon Hong-sik took a stand at a regular briefing on Oct 18th after receiving a question about BTS’ military service.
Mr. Moon said, “Our position is that we will provide an opportunity if they wish to participate when there is a national-level event for the public good or an event designed in light of the national interest.”
He added, “We know that such an opportunity is still and has been provided to some soldiers in the military, and we didn’t say that with any specific events in mind.”
Upon hearing the news, BTS’ fandom “ARMY” was very happy, saying that they would feel a little less of the group’s hiatus.
Source: insight
