What’s the Big Deal?
Hey everyone! So, some serious news just dropped today involving WINNER’s Song Min-ho (Mino). On December 31st, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office announced that they have indicted him without detention on charges of violating the Military Service Act. This means he’ll have to stand trial.
The whole issue revolves around his time as a ‘사회복무요원’ (sa-hoe-bok-mu-yo-won), or public service worker, which is an alternative to active-duty military service for men who don’t qualify for combat roles due to health reasons.
The Allegations: What Did He Do?
According to the reports, the controversy is about his work attendance. Mino served at a facility in Mapo-gu, Seoul, from March 2023 to December 2024. The allegations claim that he didn’t properly show up for work, left his post without permission, and was generally negligent with his duties. It wasn’t just a one-time thing; prosecutors apparently found evidence of repeated unauthorized absences after looking into his phone’s GPS data. Back during the initial police investigation, it was reported that Mino admitted to most of the charges, like leaving his workplace during work hours.
It’s Not Just Him
This isn’t a solo act, apparently. The person who was in charge of managing Mino’s service, identified only as Mr. A, has also been indicted on the same charges. The prosecution believes this manager knew about Mino’s poor attendance but didn’t do anything about it, basically letting it slide. This adds another layer to the situation, suggesting there might have been some issues with how things were managed at his workplace.
What Happens Now?
For now, Mino is indicted without detention, which means he won’t be in jail while awaiting trial. The prosecution has made it clear they are taking this seriously and will work to ensure a fitting punishment is handed down. For Americans, it’s important to understand that military service is a huge and sensitive topic in South Korea. Any scandal related to it, especially involving a celebrity, becomes major news. We’ll have to wait and see how the trial unfolds. It’s definitely a tough situation for him and for WINNER’s fans.
