BTS star Jin to begin military service on 13 December

BTS membersFile Photo

Jin, the oldest member of the K-pop band BTS, will begin his mandatory military service on 13 December, South Korean newspaper Aju Business Daily reported on Thursday, citing unnamed military authorities.

Jin, who turns 30 on 4 December, will be deployed to a unit after receiving five weeks of training at the boot camp, the paper reported.

South Korean K-pop boy band BTS members (L to R) V, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope pose for a photo session during a press conference on BTS new album 'BE (Deluxe Edition)' in Seoul on 20 November 2020
AFP

Spokespeople for BTS' agency, HYBE, and the South Korean Ministry of Defense declined to confirm the report.

In a social media post last week Jin hinted he was headed to a "front-line" position.

Musical group BTS performs onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on 20 May, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
AFP

After years of uncertainty, the group announced in October it would go on mandatory military service, starting with Jin.

The group plans to pursue individual projects and reunite in 2025 after all had served, HYBE said at the time.

All able-bodied men in South Korea between 18 and 28 must serve in the military for 18 to 21 months.

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Some categories, however, have won exemptions, or served for shorter periods, including Olympics and Asian Games medal winners, and classical musicians and dancers who win top prizes at certain competitions.

Some lawmakers had called for BTS to be exempted.

South Korea's defence minister has suggested BTS could still perform overseas while serving in the military.