South Korean Army suspected of providing special treatment to BTS J-Hope on his enlistment 

The South Korean army has been embroiled in controversy over providing special treatment to BTS J-Hope during his enlistment process.

According to Newsis reports on April 21st, J-Hope (Jung Ho Seok, 29 years old) entered the Baekho Unit training center in Sokcho, Gangwon-do as an active-duty trainee soldier of the 23-5 recruitment.

On the day 208 new recruits, including J-Hope, entered the training center, Baekho Unit’s guard post guided vehicles by putting up the sign that read “Only one vehicle is allowed to enter and exit the base at a time”.

The unit dispatched several soldiers to the guard post to check the enlistment notices of each vehicle going in and out of the base before letting them pass. 

In addition, there was no limit on the number of family members, friends, or acquaintances accompanying the new recruits, but those without enlistment notices were not allowed to enter the base.

However, the training center made an exception for BTS’s agency HYBE and allowed them to enter the base despite not having enlistment notices, which is prohibited for the general public 

On the day J-Hope enlisted, five black Carnival vans were caught on reporters’ cameras entering the base. 

Since an HYBE official waiting in front of the guard post told their colleagues, “One of our company’s cars went in first”, it is presumed that a total of six vehicles from HYBE entered the training center that day.

The official also added, “J-Hope is coming in a black Carnival van”.

Earlier, it was reported BTS’s eldest member Jin (Kim Seok Jin, 30 years old) was accompanied by as many as six cars on the day he enlisted.

Therefore, criticisms over fairness and justice arose since HYBE received passes in advance while the general public had to show their enlistment notices to the guards and receive a pass to enter.

In this regard, Baekho Unit’s representative denied the special treatment allegations, saying “We did not send back anyone who came in two vehicles for the event today” adding, “We provided the ‘one vehicle’ guidance for safety control purposes, but we did not impose any mandatory instructions or regulations”.

Source: Nate