soldiers

In the summer of 2013, a series of investigative reports by the South Korean broadcaster SBS sent shockwaves through the nation, exposing deep-seated irregularities within the military’s promotional wing. The scandal, which centered on high-profile K-pop stars Choi Dong-wook (known as Se7en) and Lee Sang-chul (known as Sangchu of the duo Mighty Mouth), transcended the ... Read more

The mandatory military service requirement in South Korea remains one of the most significant and culturally sensitive obligations for the nation’s male citizens. Rooted in the 1953 armistice that halted the Korean War but left the peninsula technically at a state of war, the Military Service Act mandates that all able-bodied men between the ages ... Read more

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense is facing an unprecedented crisis of public confidence following a series of high-profile scandals involving "celebrity soldiers" assigned to the Defense Media Agency. For decades, mandatory military service has served as a foundational rite of passage and a strictly enforced legal obligation for all able-bodied South Korean men. ... Read more