‘What about BTS?’: Petition challenges military service exemptions for athletes, artists
The public petition follows controversy sparked by members of Korea’s under-23 football team who celebrated their military service exemptions after the squad's gold medal victory at the Asian Games.
BTS members RM, left, and V salute to fans after finishing their military duties in Gangwon, on June 10, 2025.YONHAP
A new petition is calling for the abolition of special military service exemptions for athletes and artists, arguing that the system no longer reflects the times and grants preferential treatment to a select few.
The petition was posted on the National Assembly’s public petition website on Monday, following criticism of remarks and social media posts by members of Korea’s gold-medal-winning men’s football team at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Korea’s under-23 football team scored a 1-0 win over Japan in Saturday’s final, securing military service exemptions for 20 players.
The petition has already secured the 100 endorsements required and is now under review for public release.
“The system that allows athletes and artists to avoid military service should be reformed to reflect the change in times, raise the morale of our service members and make military duty something people can take pride in,” the petitioner wrote.
The petitioner acknowledged that the system had served a purpose in the past.
“Korea granted military service exemptions to athletes and artists who promoted the country abroad and enhanced its national standing when Korea was still a developing country,” the petitioner wrote. “There is no denying that the system has been a major source of motivation for musicians and athletes who achieved outstanding results at prestigious competitions, the Olympics and the Asian Games.”
However, the benefits have long been concentrated in only a “handful of” sports and artistic fields, raising questions over fairness, the petitioner argued.
“The world has changed, and we now live in a different era,” the petitioner wrote. “Korea has become a global economic and military power, and the Korean Wave has swept across the world.”
A petition demanding an abolishment to a special military service exemption for artists and athletes was posted on the National Assembly's online petition website on Oct. 5.SCREEN CAPTURE
The petitioner also pointed to the K-pop mega-band BTS, whose seven members completed their mandatory service.
“If raising Korea’s national standing is the standard, can anyone deny that young men like BTS were more deserving than winners of the Asian Games, which few people in the West know about or pay attention to?” the petitioner wrote.
The petitioner said the recent conduct of some members of Korea’s men’s football team had reinforced the case for change.
Forward Park Seung-soo, who played a total of 16 minutes during the tournament, posted a photo of himself wearing a military discharge cap on social media after the final match.
Newcastle Academy forward Park Seung-soo wears a “military discharge cap” after his Asian Games gold earned him military service benefits. The photo was uploaded on his social media.SCREEN CAPTURE
Korean players celebrate after winning the gold medal in the men’s football final against Japan at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Oct. 3 during the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. The victory was followed by controversy over some athletes' remarks, which were criticized for emphasizing the military service benefits earned by winning gold.YONHAP
“The medal and the title didn’t matter,” said Yang Min-hyeok, a 20-year-old forward with Belgian side Westerlo. “There was a military exemption on the line, and that was all I cared about.”
Park, Lee and Yang later posted apologies on social media, but calls to abolish or sharply scale back the special military service system have grown after the controversy.
The petitioner said Park’s social media post was the immediate trigger for the petition.
“I found it difficult to contain my anger after seeing a player celebrate his military service situation on social media while wearing a military discharge cap in the locker room after winning Asian Games football gold,” the petitioner wrote. “I felt as if the youth we devoted to serving as soldiers had been mocked. That feeling convinced me that we can no longer stand by and accept such unfairness and preferential treatment.”
The petitioner argued that concerns about the relatively short careers of athletes and artists could instead be addressed through deferments or alternative service.
“This country no longer needs preferential treatment for military service,” the petitioner wrote.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
