SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Actor Park Bo-gum, currently serving in South Korea’s Navy, has passed a state exam to become a licensed barber, military officials said Wednesday. Park, who has been fulfilling his mandatory military service since 2020, took the exam in December, the officials said. He is currently stationed in the Gyeryongdae [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung again voiced skepticism Thursday over whether to grant special favors to K-pop superstar BTS for its mandatory military service. Lee of the liberal Democratic Party was asked at a campaign event about his views on the long-running issue of whether the septet should [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s defense ministry stressed the need Thursday for “prudence” in considering whether to allow active-duty military service exemptions for K-pop superstar BTS and other top artists, citing the nation’s shrinking population and other factors. Boo Seung-chan, the ministry’s spokesperson, made the remarks as the National Assembly has been [...]
SEOUL, June 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The top court on Thursday confirmed a not-guilty verdict for a conscientious objector who avoided his mandatory military service due to personal beliefs, in the first case of its kind. The Supreme Court upheld the appellate court’s acquittal of the man, a self-identifying “queer feminist,” indicted on charges of [...]
SEOUL, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study has revealed that roughly 4 percent of military service members have had suicidal thoughts. A research team led by Prof. Lee Seung-yup from the Catholic University of Korea Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital and Dr. Yoon Chang-gyo from the World Health Organization analysed the 2014 survey conducted [...]
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of South Koreans support replacing the current military draft with a volunteer system, a survey showed Sunday. According to the Gallup Korea poll, 43 percent of respondents were in favor of switching to the volunteer military system, while 42 percent were in favor of maintaining the [...]
SEOUL, April 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Taemin, a member of K-pop boy band SHINee, will join the military next month to fulfill his mandatory service, his agency said Tuesday. The 27-year-old singer is set to enlist on May 31, according to SM Entertainment. The agency did not elaborate further on the venue and schedule of [...]
SEOUL, March 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Chanyeol, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, will enlist for mandatory military service Monday, his management agency said. The rapper, whose legal name is Park Chan-yeol, will enter a boot camp for four weeks of basic military training ahead of serving in the Army, according to SM Entertainment. [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Hui, a member of K-pop boy band Pentagon, will start his alternative military service later this month, his management agency said Tuesday. The 28-year-old group leader and producer will enter a boot camp on Feb. 18 for four weeks of basic military training and then serve as a social [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — A culture group on Thursday criticized the recently revised law allowing celebrities to delay their mandatory military service, raising questions on its feasibility. Earlier this month, the National Assembly passed the revised Military Service Act to allow pop culture artists who have received cultural medals or awards from the [...]