South Korean boyband BTS not exempted from military service

The seven-strong BTS has spearheaded a wave of Korean pop, crowning their success with three No. 1 albums on the Billboard chart in less than a year, a 2019 Grammy nomination and concerts from New York to Saudi Arabia. None of the band members, who range in age from 22 to 26, was available for comment on Friday. Korean men who turn 18 become eligible for a physical examination by the Military Manpower Administration, which can then lead to service. Women do not have to do military service. Authorities occasionally grant exemptions, for instance to athletes, but only if they have won gold medals at the Asian Games, or any medal at the Olympics. Also, classical musicians who have received awards at recognised international competition can skip their military service. Last year, Son Heung-min, who plays for the English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, was given an exemption but only after he helped the South Korean national team win gold at the Asian Games. The defence ministry said fewer than 45 people are exempt from service every year. South Korea has nearly 600,000 soldiers, most of them conscripted. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://www.youmagine.com/jokerjokin/designs

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