Presidential Elect Committee begins full-scale review into BTS military exemption

Article: Transition Committee, "full-scale review of BTS' military exemption"

Source: Sports Kyunghyang

BTS' military exemption is being discussed in earnest.

According to an exclusive report by Munhwa Ilbo on the 1st, President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's Presidential Transition Committee is currently reviewing a plan to exempt BTS from active duty service. The Chairman of the committee Ahn Cheol-soo, will be visiting HYBE to discuss the matter.

According to the report, "the transition committee intensively discussed ways to prepare alternatives to military service, such as art and sports personnel services or volunteer work, only for pop culture artists who are recognized for 'improving national prestige'."

Ahn Cheol-soo and other officials of the transition committee plan to meet with HYBE officials and the core issue to be discussed will be BTS' military service. 

An amendment bill that includes special military service for pop culture artists, including BTS, has been continuously debated, however it's currently in pending status with the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Ahn Cheol-soo has been a huge advocate for BTS' military exemption. In November last year, he wrote on his Facebook, "I hope BTS will be given a fair opportunity to perform alternative service, just like youth in other fields who have also highly contributed to national interests. It would be reverse discrimination if BTS is made an exception."

1. [+2,547, -527] So we're basically sh*t [poop] to them
2. [+1,636, -303] This is like getting eliminated at the 9th inning during the semifinals...why only BTS?
3. [+806, -163] Stop using idols to cut the tail! Put more effort into doing your jobs right instead of distracting us with your politics using Kpop here and there to make headlines!!
4. [+644, -105] Ah ~ so this is that fairness and common sense daenams [conservatives] kept asking for.. 
5. [+501, -115] Gan Cheol-seo back at it with the shovels ㅋㅋ
6. [+393, -24] Just be honest and say this will "elevate" the prestige of the 300 members of the National Assembly..
7. [+342, -90] So the standards will be what? If you rank #1 in the Billboards, win a Grammy, an Academy Award or make to the top 16 of the World Cup? Then you'll get an exemption? It makes no sense whatsoever to exempt them over a field no one else is guaranteed to participate in just because BTS gained some fame. 
8. [+322, -70] This is just...not right. They'll receive special perks anyway if they enlist given their fame when compared to the rest of the soldiers, that's consideration enough. But to completely exempt them from service? The standards are ambiguous enough already that it'll cause side effects.
9. [+246, -54] But for the sake of national interest it makes sense to exempt them. Just imagine if Son Heung-min enlisted. 경The ripple effect to our economy will be a thousand times worse!
10. [+209, -37] Na Ji-wan and Oh Ji-hwan didn't play a single game properly at the Asian games but still received exemptions because they won a gold medal. How is this any different? BTS are tens of thousand times more profitable than those two and are promoting our country's prestige all over the world. It'll be too unfair if they didn't receive an exemption.
11. [+171, -15] He hasn't even sat in the Blue House yet and he's caring about idols? What happened to the issues and livelihoods of the rest of us?
12. [+143, -5] Review more important things first instead of idols!!
13. [+78, -7] Putting in so much effort over such useless things...f*ck