Over four years, more than 18,000 Korean men renounced their nationality to avoid military duties

More than 18,000 Korean men subject to mandatory military conscription have given up their nationality from 2021 through August 2025, with the United States emerging as the most common destination for those seeking a new passport.

2025-10-01

Singer Steve Yoo files lawsuit against Justice Ministry over entry ban

Singer Steve Yoo, also known as Yoo Seung-jun, who was banned from entering Korea after becoming a U.S. citizen to evade mandatory military service, has begun legal proceedings against the Ministry of Justice.

2025-03-21

10-year passports soon available for those that have not completed military service

Starting May 1, individuals who have not completed their mandatory military service will be eligible for 10-year passports, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2024-12-02

26-year-old convicted of gaining weight to avoid military service

A 26-year-old man was convicted of deliberately gaining weight to avoid military service. The court ruled both had acted against the Military Service Act, imposing suspended sentences.

2024-11-24

Enlistment requirements for transgender women may be changed by Korean Defense Ministry

In its proposal, the ministry seeks to allow transgender women, even if they have not undergone six months of hormone therapy, to enlist in alternative service.

2024-01-19

[WHY] Will the Korean military ever draft women?

Ever wondered why BTS has to answer the call of duty, but girl groups like Blackpink don’t? Well, they actually might have to in the coming decade. The Korean military faces a population crisis of its own amid the country's ever-plunging birthrate.

2023-09-02

Russians in Korea fear long arm of Putin's mobilization

Fears of being called up for war are spreading among Russians residing in Korea as the ripples of fear generated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization order reach distant shores.

2022-10-03

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol avoids questions on BTS's military service

President Yoon Suk-yeol refused to directly answer questions related to BTS’s military conscription on his way to work Thursday. The issue has re-emerged as BTS announced via its official YouTube channel Bangtan TV last week that they will temporar..

2022-06-23

Lifting of military ban on mobiles leads to surge in tip-offs about poor conditions

The lifting of strict prohibitions on soldiers' Internet and mobile phone use on base has sent military officials scrambling to address problems being raised online.

2021-05-16

Defense Ministry revises law to allow BTS members to defer military service until age 30

The Defense Ministry on Tuesday revised the country’s military conscription law that allows men who made exceptional contributions to Korea's culture, like the members of the world-renowned K-pop group BTS, to postpone enlistment until 30.

2020-12-22

korea joongAng daily