Tourism Minister desperately pleads for BTS exemptions + asks men in their 20s to "understand"

Article: Minister Hwang Hee on BTS' military service.. "Young people in your 20s, please understand."

Source: Segye Ilbo

Hello, This is Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee. Recently, Korea's status has risen beyond recognition due to the Hallyu (Korean Wave). From K-pop, K-drama and movies, contents such as games, webtoons, animation, and media art, as well as Hangeul, literature, hanbok, K-beauty, and K-Food, are getting hot reactions and love from the world.

At a university in France, the Hangeul School attracted 1,500 people to recruit 45. The combination of our Korean traditional and modern culture in convergence with digital capabilities are receiving the highest praise in the world.

All the leaders, including ministers from overseas countries, whom I met, talked about the greatness of Hallyu, and after Corona, 6/7 of 10 people in the world plan to visit Korea.

Hallyu marketing of our products is already showing great results. The Korean Wave is spreading wider and deeper all over the world. Now, it has become an open fact and no one in the world can deny that Korea is a cultural content powerhouse. Korea has become the only country in world's history to have the most widespread impact through soft power of culture without the need to use hard physical power.

BTS was at the starting point but then came Squid Game and Parasite. We already provide special military benefits to experts such as cultural artists, athletes, and degree holders. As of 2019, the total number of military exemptions was roughly 134,000 in last 10 years, of which 484 were art and sports personnel. Talents with excellent skills who have promoted national prestige are given an opportunity to make greater contributions to our country by utilizing their specialties without interruption. This is because they're confident their restless activities are more helpful to our national interests.

Today, pop artists have no choice but to stop their activities to fulfill their military duties even though their achievements clearly promote national prestige. This also leads to losses at the national level. It's unfair that pop artists aren't given such opportunities even though we live in an environment that's significantly different from the past. In particular, K-pop has made a mark in pop music history, and among them, BTS has shown a cultural impact that resonates around the world by generating 1.2 trillion won in production per concert and winning leading overseas music awards.

The reason why I am here today is because I thought that someone should speak responsibly in a situation in which the pros and cons are facing conflicting opinions ahead of BTS military enlistment. After taking office as Minister, I traveled to major countries on business trips, and I was convinced that more active support was needed to enhance the power of our culture.

First, due to the Korean Wave, not only Hallyu content itself, but also Hallyu marketing has a tremendous effect on the economy, improving the national image, and enhancing the national brand. In order to further strengthen the sustainability of the Korean Wave, it is necessary to more effectively manage the content at the center of it.

Second, the enlistment of famous Korean Wave stars has the potential to further spread the image that Korea is still a dangerous country of conflict. It is a huge loss to the national image.

Third, this will provide an opportunity to drive the social contribution of military service specialists. The issue of who goes to the military and who doesn't will be a fair agenda for young people in their 20s who are just entering society in light of our social environment and conscription system. Military enlistment is a basic duty of the people, however, if we can impose greater obligations and create greater national interests through them, I think this is something our society should fully consider.

I want to appeal to young people in their 20s. Nowadays there's a lot of sensitivity to "fairness" so I had to gather a lot of courage to return to politics as I plan to retire from my ministerial post in a few days. But during my service as your minister over the past year and three months, I thought this would be a valuable opportunity for us to take a huge leap forward as a "cultural powerhouse." This is our opportunity to secure and sustain this title.  

As I'm about to retire, I thought it would be cowardly of  me to hand over this matter to the next administration without addressing it. I didn't want to avoid it just because I was afraid of opposing opinions because I knew it would a great help to national interests. I sincerely and desperately appeal to all Koreans who have faithfully completed their military service, those currently performing, or expected to perform in the future. Please be more considerate of the time it takes to establish ourselves as a complete cultural powerhouse.

As the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, I dare to ask for your understanding to please pick our national interests above all, as this will eventually return to you in the course of your social life.

I'm also asking the National Assembly to do the same. Currently, a revision to the Military Service Act on the establishment of a system for incorporating art personnel for popular artists in the National Assembly is pending in the standing committee. I ask you to pass the amendment through the National Assembly's agreement as soon as possible. As soon as the amendment is passed, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will closely consult with related ministries such as the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration to create reasonable and fair standards for inclusion. Please listen to and gather public opinion more actively at the National Assembly and start discussions at the National Assembly as soon as possible.

I also want to plead to popular artists, especially BTS members and their agency. Please actively participate in social contributions so that our people especially young men in their 20s can understand. Let them know your efforts and achievements are in our national interest. In addition, we already know your sincerity and willingness to faithfully fulfill your national defense duties. But the real truth is your economic benefits are just as great as your efforts and achievements. Pop culture and artists in the arts grow with the love of the people. I'd like to emphasize your sincerity will be returned to all only when your benefits from military service are returned to society at a weight that people can be convinced by.

Going forward, we will continue to actively support our culture so that it can expand all over the world, and we'll do our best to ensure the arts and sports personnel system is operated in a fairer and reliable way from the perspective of the people.

In addition, we will spare no effort to help our future generation achieve greater vision and achievements and grow on the strong support of the cultural powerhouse Korea.

1. [+5,088, -479] Ah, so as long as you can earn lots of money you'll get exempted from military service ~ so we're going to leave it up to whether you "effected" national prestige ~ Then Samsung and Hyundai should get exempted since they're promoting national prestige. So one man's duty is an exemption to someone else.. ok. 
2. [+2,745, -297] And how exactly do you expect those in their 20s to understand? And what about 30s, 40s, and 50s that have already completed service? Are we just part-timers to you? So only BTS gets exempted from service for some petty achievements like that?? Are you crazy??? 
3. [+2,347, -215] BTS who are are keeping their mouths shut right now are the issue... weren't they loud about wanting to enlist? 
4. [+1,661, -91] A celebrity is like a private company that works in the interest of one... so just because they made some money they get to brag about promoting our national prestige? Aren't you ashamed in the face of our history and future generations??!
5. [+1,274, -33] To keep interpreting our laws subjectively like this is basically saying our country is no longer a democracy. So some people deserve exemptions and some don't? 
6. [+459, -8] We 100% need to begin investigations into this. 1. Their agency is walking around with heads held up high already like exemptions are a done deal. 2. Seong Il-jong is someone that doesn't just take on something unless there's money involved, and now our own Culture Minister is advocating to him? He 100% took in some bribes. Does it make sense to exempt one idol group just because a Minister is gunning for them this hardㅋㅋㅋㅋ? 3. Last time HYBE took care of 100 reporters just so that they can attend BTS' Vegas concert. 
7. [+419, -8] He's a psychopath. BTS makes a lot of money already as world stars but they want to exempt them from military too? So are just part-timers to them? Just because young people don't make as much money doesn't mean BTS are the only ones promoting national prestige. The members have already enjoyed popularity, wealth and fame that the rest of us can never imagine. I like being a cultural powerhouse and all but we're in a war right now. Even if all young men enlist, it won't be enough. This is the time to use them as an example not exempt them. 
8. [+300, -14] Delaying the enlistment alone was a huge benefit. We need to open investigations into whether this ba$tard took in money. BTS already said with their own mouths that they want to enlist. The moment they get exempted from the military their image is going to hit rock bottom like MC Mong and Steve Yoo. 
9. [+269, -16] I really hate this. I'm a mother to a son that's living a heartbreaking life after enlisting in the military. So you can only get exempted if you make a lot of money and gain fame and the rest of us with no money and power have to go? Stop being a psycho and follow our laws!! 
10. [+137, -4] You didn't even clearly list out standards to justify this. Are our laws and national defense a toy for you to play with at will? Do you think office workers aren't promoting national prestige? Isn't it a national loss to force college kids to drop out for two years to enlist???
11. [+92, -9] Ah, please launch investigations into whether he took in bribes. Looking at this, there's no reason for him to shield BTS to this level unless he got fed money.