On August 18th, Mayor Park took to his social media account to state that the government should allow the members of the K-pop superband to supplant their compulsory military service with their current role as the ambassadors of the 2030 World Expo. The mayor escalated the matter to the presidential office and explained that the singers would play a critical role beyond imagination in winning the bid to host the event in the city in 2030. He added that the presidential office should grant them the alternative service benefit currently available to athletes and artists who helped elevate national prestige or cultural advancement. However, he emphasized that it does not mean that the artists should be given the privilege of being exempted from military duty. Park said, ŌĆ£IŌĆÖm well aware of what serving in the military means in South Korea. However, if the group is allowed alternative military service, they will be bestowed with national responsibility that does not fall short of their mandatory military duties. They will serve the country in a way only they can and are capable of.ŌĆØ Source (1)
