Latest news with #MilitaryServiceAct
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Migrant soldier claims racism in the barracks
Report reveals over half of officers unaware that it is forbidden to call out soldiers based on race, external appearance A conscripted soldier of the South Korean Army says he was the victim of racially charged bullying, leading to an official military police investigation, according to local media reports on Monday. The 22-year-old soldier jumped from the second floor of his barracks in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on April 23. While receiving treatment at the military hospital, he made the complaint to his superiors. Born to a Chinese father and a mother who defected from North Korea, the soldier was born in China, where he lived for some time before moving to Korea. He enlisted last year after obtaining South Korean citizenship. According to him, other soldiers in the troop would call him derogatory names or say that he was a "fake Korean." According to what he wrote in his journal in December, reported by local broadcaster MBC, he suffered from constant nightmares, had trouble breathing and was under constant pressure from his superiors. He also wrote that he was denied medicine that he requested. The Army, in its initial report of the incident, did not specify any potential reasons behind the soldier's decision to jump from the window, but a report written three months later said he was "having trouble adjusting because of his difficulty communicating in Korean." As the number of multicultural families in Korea increases, more Korean citizens with diverse ethnic backgrounds are completing their mandatory military service. A 2024 report by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses showed that 1 percent of all South Korean troops had non-Korean ethnicities in 2022. This figure is projected to reach 5 percent by 2030. A 2009 revision of the Military Service Act had deleted a clause that exempted "mixed-race individuals with distinguishable external features" from mandatory military service. Though intended to abolish discrimination based on race, there are still complications stemming from a lack of consideration toward soldiers with diverse ethnic backgrounds. The aforementioned KIDA report conducted a survey on 3,600 people in the South Korean military, revealing that 15 percent of the officers were unaware that there were soldiers of various backgrounds in the military. Additionally, over half of the officers were unaware that it is forbidden to call out soldiers' distinctive features based on their race and external appearance.
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour
NEW YORK -- Their reunion? It's smooth like butter. The K-pop septet BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour. Members Jin, RM, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jung Kook and Suga made the announcement Tuesday during a livestream on Weverse, an online fan platform owned by BTS management company Hybe. It was the first time all seven members have broadcast live together since September 2022. 'We'll be releasing a new BTS album in the spring of next year. Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music,' the band said in a statement. 'Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member's thoughts and ideas. We're approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.' They also announced a world tour, their first in nearly four years. The news arrives a few weeks after BTS superstars RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, while Suga, the last to return, fulfilled his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. South Korea's law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30.
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour
NEW YORK (AP) — Their reunion? It's smooth like butter. The K-pop septet BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour. Members Jin, RM, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jung Kook and Suga made the announcement Tuesday during a livestream on Weverse, an online fan platform owned by BTS management company Hybe. It was the first time all seven members have broadcast live together since September 2022. 'We'll be releasing a new BTS album in the spring of next year. Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music,' the band said in a statement. 'Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member's thoughts and ideas. We're approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.' They also announced a world tour, their first in nearly four years. The news arrives a few weeks after BTS superstars RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, while Suga, the last to return, fulfilled his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. South Korea's law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30.
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First Post
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
From Suga to Jung Kook, all 7 BTS members are now done with mandatory service
BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, had said earlier that no events were planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. read more Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties. The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday. BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, had said earlier that no events were planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is a momentous occasion for fans of the K-pop group BTS. The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 now that they've finished their service. Last week, BTS superstars RM and V were discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service. Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged a day later. All four were enlisted in December 2023. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, while Suga fulfilled his duty as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
BTS gears up for 2026 comeback as Suga completes military service
BTS rapper and songwriter Suga has officially completed his mandatory military service, marking the discharge of all seven members of the K-pop band from South Korea's conscription system, according to an Associated Press report. BTS' label, Big Hit Entertainment (which is now part of Hybe), confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using his pending leave days. His official discharge date was set for June 21, Saturday. The agency has not organised any public event for the occasion, citing concerns about overcrowding, the report added. File photo of BTS star Suga(AP) Suga, whose real name is Min Yoongi, served as a social service agent due to his past shoulder surgery, the Associated Press reported earlier. Also known as August D, he was the last of the group to complete his national duty. Unlike his bandmates, who served in the army, his alternative service involved civilian work. Suga's discharge from mandatory service has now opened the door for BTS to reunite as a group with plans for a full comeback in 2026. Also read: BTS to make their full group comeback in March 2026? Here's what we know Group leader RM discharged last week Last week, four of the seven-member band were discharged from the military. RM, aka Kim Namjoon and V, aka Kim Taehyung, were discharged on June 10, followed by Jimin and Jungkook a day later. All four began their military duties in December 2023. Jin, the eldest member, was the first to enlist in December 2022 and was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope, aka Jung Hoseok, completed his service in October 2024. South Korea's Military Service Act Under South Korea's mandatory conscription law, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 must serve 18 to 21 months in the military. While Olympic athletes and classical musicians were given exemptions, K-pop idols were not granted any despite their global influence, the AP report stated. However, in 2020, the South Korean government revised their Military Service Act, which allowed prominent entertainers like BTS to postpone their enlistment until age 30. This gave the group more time to continue their global success before serving. However, rumors over probable exemptions for BTS intensified public debate in 2022 with opinions divided. Ultimately, the band members and the agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would be fulfilling their obligations without seeking exemptions. Now, with military service behind them, fans worldwide can look forward to BTS' long-anticipated reunion and the next chapter in their remarkable journey. FAQs 1. Has Suga been officially discharged from military service? Yes, Suga has completed his alternative military service. His official discharge date is Saturday, but he finished his duties earlier this week. 2. What kind of military service did Suga perform? Suga served as a social service agent, an alternative form of mandatory service due to medical reasons, unlike other members who served in the military. 3. When will BTS reunite as a full group? The group is expected to reunite sometime in 2026, now that all seven members have completed their service. 4. Who was the first BTS member to enlist? Jin was the first to enlist in December 2022, followed by J-Hope, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, and finally Suga.
