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Jin, 29, has put off his service for as long as
he can and faces the imminent prospect of a full stint - meaning
nearly two years out of the public eye - when he turns 30 in
December.
Since their 2013 debut, BTS have became a worldwide sensation
with their upbeat hits and social campaigns aimed at empowering
youth.
"Jin will cancel the request to delay enlistment in late October
2022 and follow the Military Manpower Administration's relevant
procedures for enlistment," the seven-member band's management
group HYBE said in a regulatory filing.
All other members will also serve the mandatory military duty
according to their respective plans, it added.
"Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to
reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service
commitment," HYBE-owned Bighit Music, which manages BTS, said in
a separate statement.
All able-bodied men in South Korea aged between 18 and 28 must
serve in the military for between 18 and 21 months as part of
efforts to defend against nuclear-armed North Korea. Some
categories, however, have won exemptions, or served shorter
terms, including Olympics and Asian Games medal winners and
classical musicians and dancers who win top prizes at certain
competitions. Some lawmakers had called for BTS to be exempted.
BTS announced a break in June from group musical activities to
pursue solo projects, raising questions about the band's future.
They reunited to perform a free concert on Saturday in the city
of Busan in support of South Korea's bid to host the World Expo
2030 in the port city.
(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Tom Hogue and Susan
Fenton)
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