The South Korean government has been abusing its positional authority to use global K-pop sensation BTS to support nation-building projects including the latest campaign to host the WORLD EXPO 2030 in Busan, South Korea. We call upon the global BTS ARMY to boycott the bid, Korean travel and other Korean consumer items if the Korean government cannot guarantee all seven members of BTS exemption from mandatory military service per Article 65 Line 10 of the Military Service Act.

(10)    Where any person in active duty service (including those who perform military service as prescribed in Article 21, 24 or 25) has promoted culture or enhanced the national prestige in a field under Article 26 (1) 3, as prescribed by Presidential Decree, he may be transferred to supplemental service upon application. <Newly Inserted by Act No. 9946, Jan. 25 2010>

Abuse in the barracks of the South Korean military has been well-documented and heartbreaking accounts of previous K-pop stars who endured spying, filming, harassment and special favors by superiors. In particular, group gawking at naked celebrities during shower time has brought particular shame upon the country and trauma for the celebrity recruits.

It is not safe nor is it advantageous for the South Korean military to have this distraction degrading the focus and quality of the military force. Adequate measures to safeguard ALL mandatory recruits from such abuse have not been presented to the public. BTS members should not be used like farm animals to be paraded in front of press conferences to support pet projects of politicians only to be thrown to the wolves behind the tall walls of military installations.

For years, Korean and international fans of BTS have been wary of repeated broken promises to reform the military system and revisions to the military act to exempt BTS once and for all. Contributions by BTS to the national economy, prestige and reputation have far eclipsed many other athletes and musicians who have already been exempted. Just in the past 12 months, BTS has contributed $5 billion to Korea's GDP, served as ambassadors to the United Nations and represented Korea in a private meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in the Oval Office in the White House. 

Yet, listing BTS' accomplishments has not moved lawmakers and the presidents of South Korea past the finish line. Measures to allow the exemption have been drafted and then stalled in the National Assembly. The previous South Korean President Moon Jae-in kicked the can down to his successor, current President Yoon Suk-yeol, who says he's going to wait on 'public opinion' to make the decisive choice.

In this spirit, we will bring global public opinion to the table with this petition. And we're adding a bit of heat to the sauce to get a deal done. No support for BTS' military exemption means NO SUPPORT FOR THE BUSAN WORLD EXPO 2030.

We would like the following:

• EXEMPTION for BTS' mandatory military service under an EXPANDED revision of Article 26 and 65 of the Military Service Act.
• IMMEDIATE approval for BTS' exemption.
• NO PERFORMANCE CLAUSES including those predicated on a successful bid for the BUSAN WORLD EXPO 2030.
• JUSTIFICATION of the exemption for BTS' backlog of service to the Republic of South Korea including their recent designation as honorary ambassadors for the Busan World Expo 2030 bid committee. 
• MEASURES to protect ALL MANDATORY RECRUITS from the abuses and failures that endanger the well-being and safety of the precious sons of South Korea.
• ALTERNATIVE to standard military conscription including ability for BTS members to commute daily to perform military service from their own accommodations.

BTS has spent their youth for South Korea and they have created a new supreme force of over 40 million people that protects the nation... the love of ARMY! 

Sincerely,

THE GLOBAL BTS ARMY