South Korea's National Assembly passed a bill on Dec. 1, 2020, allowing globally recognised male pop artists to postpone their mandatory military duties, reported Yonhap.
K-Pop idols eligible for deferment of military duties, including BTS
With the new bill, male pop idols in South Korea who have received government medals for helping spread or elevate the country’s cultural influence will be able to apply to defer their national defence duties.
The revision, informally dubbed the "BTS law", was passed in South Korea's National Assembly.
This would include the members of BTS as they received the government's cultural medal in 2018 for promoting Korean culture worldwide.
Kim Seok-jin, the oldest member of BTS, who turns 28 this Friday (Dec. 4), would have been due to enlist by the end of the year if not for the bill.
Before the revision of the country's Military Service Act, military service exemptions or deferrals were only given to international award-winning athletes and classical musicians.
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to enlist for their military duties between the age of 18 to 28, which Kim would have been subjected to, before the bill was passed.
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