On December 13, 2022, the inevitable arrived: Kim Seok-jin said goodbye to his family and friends to begin his military service. Hundreds of Armys (this is the name of the fans who follow the group) were probably heartbroken, but, in turn, they showed their full support through social networks.
The subject has also been very controversial around the world, due to the fact that the Korean band is one of the most important musical phenomena of the time and the fact that they had to stop their activities due to what the regulations of their country of origin impart caused a great shock to those who closely follow the septet.
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So much so, that even the National Assembly of Korea was in a debate that managed to give him a two-year extension to enter later to provide this mandatory service.
But why is it generating such a stir? Well, the band has not only received many awards worldwide, but has spread Korean culture around the world, breaking stigmas and creating interest in people who did not know their traditions.
In addition, as reported by the American media ‘The Hollywood Reporter’, the band managed to provide the Asian country with a sum of 4,650 million dollars (approximately 22 trillion Colombian pesos) until 2019.
With this card up their sleeves, it was hoped that they would eventually be able to save themselves from military service, but unfortunately, In October 2022, BTS representatives confirmed that they had to lend it yes or yes, started by Jin, the oldest member.
“Group member Jin will start the process as soon as he finalizes his schedule for his solo release at the end of October. Then it will follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government,” announced BigHit, the company to which the successful band belongs.
What does the law say?
According to Korean law, all men between the ages of 18 and 28 must complete two years of military service, with the exception of some elite athletes, such as Olympic medalists, and classical musicians. Even so, South Korean idols did not qualify for exemption.
The service can be divided into two systems: voluntary and mandatory. For now, Most of the BTS members face the mandatory regime and in order to understand it better, it is necessary to understand its divisions.
In the first instance, there is the recruitment system that consists of recruited soldiers receiving education and training to become elite soldiers. Service is for a set duration and then soldiers are transferred to reserve units, which will be mobilized during an emergency or wartime.
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On the other hand, there is the militia system, which is based on the universal conscription system, and the purpose of military training is to maintain military strength economically. According to the Korean military page, in this case, “citizens are called up for military service in wartime. The voluntary military system is also called the free military system, and people enlist in military service of their own free will by signing a contract with the nation.”
However, because the gang brings great economic income to the region, it was debated for many years whether or not they could be exempted from military service. However, the only thing that the representatives who had raised the bill achieved was a two-year extension that gave them permission to appear at the maximum of 30 years.This will last from 18 to 20 months, depending on the body they serve.
Yeoncheon military base
In the case of Jin, the young man will have to do military service in the Fifth Division Recruit Training Center at the Yeoncheon base, in the northern province of Gyeonggi, South Korea, just 45 kilometers away from North Korea.
The cadets have reported in different local media that the place has several rooms that fit up to 30 soldiers on mats.
On the other hand, as reported by the British media ‘BBC’, Jin will be near the North Korean border with a frontline unit.
Likewise, it is important to highlight that North Korea and South Korea are separated by a strip of land four kilometers wide, which extends along their border, known as the Demilitarized Zone.
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This is a specific area that belongs to the territory of a country, but the government cannot station troops and military facilities according to international laws. That zone was established when the Korean War, which took place on June 25, 1950, was suspended as a result of the Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953.
Now, why could this area be dangerous? It turns out that the military base where the idol will be located is located in the border area. According to the official government website ‘DMZ’, which provides information on the Demilitarized Zone, “it refers to the contact area and the nearby area that have suffered disadvantages for regional development and private property for national security since the division of the Korean peninsula.
The region consists of 15 cities and counties: Ganghwa-gun, Ongjin-gun (Incheon Metropolitan City), Goyang-si, Gimpo-si, Dongducheon-si, Yangjoo-si, Paju-si, Pocheon-si, Yeoncheon-gun (Gyeonggi-do) and Chuncheon-si, Goseong-gun, Yanggugun, Inje-gun, Cheorwon-gun, Hwacheon-gun (Gangwon-do).
An unusual routine
In an interview given by an ex-military to the American medium ‘CNN’, it was revealed how the routine of the BTS member could be.
Since the beginning, Recruits must hand over their cell phones to base officials and will only be able to use them for a few hours on weekends.
On the other hand, the training routine includes getting up at 6:00 am and carrying out different activities throughout the day, which include, according to the Korean government website, shooting with pistols, throwing grenades and marches.
But not everything is as bad as it seems. According to the band’s representative company, BigHit, the group should meet again around 2025 when its seven members have completed their military service.
In addition, according to the Korean outlet ‘The Korea Newspaper’, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it would give members the opportunity to participate if there is an event of public or national interest after enlistment in BTS.
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LAURA NATALIA BOHORQUEZ RONCANCIO
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