A minister in the South Korean government said this week he would support allowing the members of BTS to delay their mandatory military enlistments.
South Korea's conscription law requires most males to register to start 18 months of military service by the time they are 28. The members of BTS currently range in age from 23 to 28. (Jin turns 29 in December and Suga will be 29 next March.)
An amendment that came into effect this week allows pop stars who have received government medals to apply for deferment of their military service until they are 30. BTS, which received the Order of Cultural Merit by president Moon Jae-In in 2018, is currently the only K-pop group that can apply.
Hwang Hee, the minister of culture, sports and tourism, told YTN that BTS has not yet submitted an application.
BTS management has previously said it believes “military service is a duty, and we will try to show the fans the best of BTS until, and after, the members have fulfilled their service duties.”