WINNER's Song Min-ho Under Investigation for Military Service Violations

Song Min-ho (송민호) of the K-pop group WINNER is currently under investigation for alleged violations of military service laws. The Mapo Police Station received a request for investigation from the Military Manpower Administration on December 23, and they are now reviewing the details to determine if any laws were broken.

Since March of last year, Song Min-ho has been serving as a social service worker. However, suspicions regarding his service performance arose on December 17. Reports indicated that he traveled to Hawaii for six days in October but failed to report to his assigned facility in Mapo properly. There are also allegations that the manual attendance system could be manipulated at the discretion of the facility's management.

YG Entertainment, Song Min-ho's agency, stated that they cannot confirm specific details regarding the artist's service but clarified that any sick leave taken was for medical treatment and that other types of leave were used in accordance with regulations.

The facility's management claimed that Song Min-ho had been classified as a candidate for early discharge due to mental health issues, including depression and panic disorder, but he continued to report for duty due to his strong desire to pursue his entertainment career.

However, testimonies from fellow social service workers have surfaced, suggesting that Song Min-ho only reported to work two to three times a month and, when present, was often seen lying down and playing games while wearing AirPods. Additionally, it was reported that he was exempted from answering public inquiries due to his celebrity status.

As the situation escalated, allegations emerged that he received preferential treatment, such as being allowed to change his work location and commuting in a luxury car due to issues related to his panic disorder and adapting to a new supervisor.

Despite being discharged from service on December 23, public outcry led to citizens filing complaints with the police regarding his military service violations. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has ordered an urgent investigation into the service conditions of social service workers in the city and its affiliated organizations.

The Military Manpower Administration has also initiated an investigation but decided to rely on the police for a more accurate assessment. If the police confirm any misconduct in Song Min-ho's service, the administration may revoke his discharge and require him to serve the equivalent time again.