BTS to fulfil military service obligations, agency says / Photo: © AFP
RBGPF
1.4900
The China Mail - BTS to fulfil military service obligations, agency says
USD
-
AED 3.672502
AFN 62.498917
ALL 82.268889
AMD 368.651223
ANG 1.79046
AOA 918.000507
ARS 1442.006318
AUD 1.427807
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.697395
BAM 1.693693
BBD 2.014921
BDT 122.796611
BGN 1.66992
BHD 0.377311
BIF 2990.171033
BMD 1
BND 1.288152
BOB 6.913185
BRL 5.190698
BSD 1.000403
BTN 95.308075
BWP 13.585625
BYN 2.753744
BYR 19600
BZD 2.012029
CAD 1.392965
CDF 2275.999909
CHF 0.79918
CLF 0.023348
CLP 918.879694
CNY 6.77275
CNH 6.78094
COP 3576.7
CRC 458.79862
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 95.489441
CZK 20.96655
DJF 178.142455
DKK 6.477775
DOP 58.367359
DZD 133.696999
EGP 51.805598
ERN 15
ETB 161.28556
EUR 0.86665
FJD 2.22275
FKP 0.74691
GBP 0.747295
GEL 2.649618
GGP 0.74691
GHS 11.654471
GIP 0.74691
GMD 73.000143
GNF 8763.91553
GTQ 7.62586
GYD 209.300714
HKD 7.83663
HNL 26.74553
HRK 6.530333
HTG 130.850267
HUF 309.021949
IDR 17913.85
ILS 2.978697
IMP 0.74691
INR 95.39145
IQD 1310.581032
IRR 1375174.999864
ISK 124.270205
JEP 0.74691
JMD 157.972903
JOD 0.709006
JPY 160.497042
KES 129.47026
KGS 87.449097
KHR 4025.979649
KMF 427.000208
KPW 899.855249
KRW 1524.760121
KWD 0.30928
KYD 0.833687
KZT 488.019052
LAK 22029.010608
LBP 89585.884391
LKR 333.14137
LRD 182.074042
LSL 16.574885
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 6.386553
MAD 9.263956
MDL 17.411561
MGA 4196.561175
MKD 53.422609
MMK 2098.917128
MNT 3576.283338
MOP 8.074908
MRU 40.001386
MUR 47.869994
MVR 15.460059
MWK 1734.747781
MXN 17.47615
MYR 4.070102
MZN 63.901218
NAD 16.574885
NGN 1360.960153
NIO 36.813004
NOK 9.4919
NPR 152.492747
NZD 1.72272
OMR 0.38449
PAB 1.00039
PEN 3.401414
PGK 4.446831
PHP 61.384015
PKR 278.390107
PLN 3.68235
PYG 6178.85334
QAR 3.647566
RON 4.53897
RSD 101.715978
RUB 72.000295
RWF 1467.590388
SAR 3.754433
SBD 8.045573
SCR 12.955869
SDG 600.497031
SEK 9.503315
SGD 1.288295
SHP 0.746601
SLE 24.65008
SLL 20969.502105
SOS 571.725482
SRD 37.473998
STD 20697.981008
STN 21.216989
SVC 8.753524
SYP 110.532098
SZL 16.570686
THB 32.959003
TJS 9.358614
TMT 3.51
TND 2.936345
TOP 2.40776
TRY 46.138041
TTD 6.790185
TWD 31.6615
TZS 2627.497985
UAH 45.079173
UGX 3766.232079
UYU 40.528077
UZS 12059.909849
VES 566.973195
VND 26320
VUV 119.492286
WST 2.744995
XAF 568.051093
XAG 0.015726
XAU 0.000241
XCD 2.70255
XCG 1.80298
XDR 0.706825
XOF 568.041255
XPF 103.277319
YER 238.649854
ZAR 16.60075
ZMK 9001.198029
ZMW 17.33189
ZWL 321.999592
- German consortium hopes to build new fighter jet after FCAS collapse
- O'Callaghan and Short clock history-making times at Australian trials
- Trump says Iran 'taken too long to negotiate,' will have to 'pay the price'
- Trump accuses Iran of taking 'too long' to negotiate peace deal
- Pakistan launches deadly strikes on Afghanistan
- Israel's Netanyahu to seek re-election despite Trump doubts, war strains
- Stocks drop ahead of key US inflation data
- 6-7, Bad Bunny, AI: Pope targets the young
- Belfast stabbing suspect in court after 'terrifying' night of violence
- Gascoigne urges England to replicate 1990 spirit at World Cup
BTS to fulfil military service obligations, agency says
The members of the K-pop supergroup BTS will enlist in the military, their agency said Monday, putting an end to a years-long debate on whether the stars deserved exemptions from mandatory service.
All able-bodied South Korean men under the age of 30 must perform about two years of military service, mainly because the country remains technically at war with nuclear-armed North Korea.
BTS are credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy, and their label enjoyed a surge in profits despite holding fewer concerts during the coronavirus pandemic.
But the prospect of South Korea's mandatory military service continued to hover over BTS, with its stars ranging in age from 25-year-old Jungkook to 29-year-old Jin, who must sign up by December or risk jail time.
Bighit Music, part of BTS's agency Hybe, said on Monday that "the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfil their military service".
It noted in a statement that "as each individual embarks on solo endeavours, it's the perfect time and the members of BTS are honoured to serve".
"Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October," it added. "Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans."
Jin had announced the release of his solo album during a concert in Busan on Saturday.
"I was able to collaborate with someone I really adore," he told fans, without explaining further.
Refusing to complete one's mandatory service is a crime in South Korea, and can lead to imprisonment and social stigma.
Exemptions from military service are granted to some elite athletes, such as Olympic medallists, and to classical musicians -- but pop stars do not qualify.
BTS had already benefited from a 2020 revision to the conscription law that moved the age limit for some entertainers to sign up from 28 to 30 years old.
Seoul's defence minister had said in August that BTS might be allowed to continue performing and preparing for international concerts even while undertaking military duties.
In June, the septet dropped the bombshell announcement that they were taking a break as a group to pursue solo projects.
F.Jackson--ThChM
