The Minister of Defense nominee weighed in on the possibility of granting military exemption to BTS Jin and other members.

According to Defense nominee Seo Wook, everyone should be treated fairly when it comes to the issue of enlistment. He explained that granting an exemption to talented pop culture artists is not the sole decision of the military, All Kpop reported.

The military officer said there should be a national consensus on the matter which needs sufficient discussion.The Defense nominee was speaking before the National Assembly's National Defense Committee when he was asked about BTS and the military service.

It can be recalled that Representrative Jeon Yong Ki of the Democratic Party of Korea recently introduced a proposal for the revision of certain parts of the Military Service Act.

Based on the proposal, individuals who have worked in the cultural and artistic fields for at least three years, contributed to raising the national status, and those who have been recognized by the government for their merits may be allowed to delay their enlistment until they are 30 years old.The proposal sought to include pop culture artists and esports athletes in the list of individuals to be considered for the privilege.

However, before they are allowed to postpone their enlistment, the applicants should first secure the approval of the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Fans have long been lobbying for the exemption of BTS from mandatory enlistment because of their role in the new Hallyu wave that has brought the world's attention to Kpop. While a complete exemption may be unlikely, the proposed measures set before the government could delay BTS' hiatus for a couple of years.

It can be recalled that Jin is expected to enlist by December when he turns 28 in Korean age. Jin, who was born in 1992, is the oldest member of BTS.

Meanwhile, there is another possible reason that Jin could delay his enlistment, according to Big Hit Entertainment.

Along with official documents submitted to the Financial Supervisory Service as part of Big Hit Entertainment's upcoming initial public offering, the agency cited the role that the BTS members played in ensuring that the company maintained its thriving financial outlook. 

Big Hit cited that the company is embarking on efforts to minimize the risk of reduced sales from BTS' mandatory service. For this reason, the label cited that Jin could postpone his mandatory enlistment until the end of next year based on the military service law, Soompi reported.