Seoul Mayor Orders Investigation into Song Min-ho's Military Service Controversy

Song Min-ho (송민호) of the K-pop group WINNER is currently embroiled in a controversy regarding his inadequate service as a social service worker. In response, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (오세훈) has mandated a comprehensive investigation into the status of social service workers. On December 24, Mayor Oh announced via Facebook that he had instructed an 'emergency investigation into the service conditions of social service workers' following allegations of negligence involving a celebrity. He emphasized that while most social service workers diligently fulfill their duties, the misconduct of a few should not lead to public disillusionment or resentment towards military service obligations. He pledged to take strict action based on the investigation's findings and to propose necessary reforms to the Military Manpower Administration if needed. The controversy began when Dispatch reported that Song Min-ho, who was serving at a community facility in Mapo, had taken a six-day trip to Hawaii on October 31 and subsequently failed to report for duty consistently. The report claimed that he had not been seen at the facility since March, with multiple visits from November to early December yielding no sightings of him. Although his agency, YG Entertainment, stated that he had taken sick leave and vacation in accordance with regulations, other social service workers who had worked alongside him claimed in interviews that he had not been fulfilling his responsibilities. Notably, Song Min-ho was discharged from his service on December 23, reportedly taking sick leave on his final day without attending work. The Military Manpower Administration is currently investigating the allegations surrounding his service.