Civil complaint filed to Military Manpower Administration over BTS member Suga's attendance

Social Affairs

Civil complaint filed to Military Manpower Administration over BTS member Suga's attendance

Published: 12 Aug. 2024, 15:37 Updated: 12 Aug. 2024, 16:58

BTS member Suga [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A civil complaint asking for the examination of BTS member Suga’s military service attendance has been filed to the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration.

The complaint asked for a “thorough investigation” and “punishment in accordance with the violations,” reported local media outlet Sports Kyunghyang on Monday.

The complaint called for an investigation into Suga's alleged neglect of work during his military service.

Criticism of Suga escalated when HYBE and the artist allegedly tried to minimize harm by using questionable wording in their apology for the DUI case last Wednesday.

Suga and his agency said that the singer drove a stand-up electric scooter — known as a "kickboard" in Korea — instead of a seated electric scooter on the day after the singer was caught intoxicated by the police. It was eventually revealed that the scooter he rode had a seat.

Drunkenly driving a seated electric scooter — which has a maximum speed exceeding 25 km/h (15.5 mph) and a higher displacement — can additionally incur fines of up to 20 million won ($14,600) or imprisonment of up to five years.

Suga also said that he was unaware that driving a “kickboard” home while drunk was illegal in his apology.

The civil complaint said that the minimizing statements by the singer and company show “sense of entitlement and authority.”

It also added that Suga saying he was “unaware” of the law indicates a possibility of the singer “habitually driving home drunk,” which in turn implies that he might have “habitually skipped work the next day after drinking” as well.

Suga is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service as a social service agent, a role that typically involves a regular daily work schedule, allowing him to return home after work hours. The BTS member is scheduled to complete his service in June next year.

The police are in talks with BigHit Music and the Military Manpower Administration to schedule a formal investigation into Suga's drunk driving on an electric scooter, according to Sports Kyunghyang.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]