Hong So-young, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, said she found it "deeply regrettable and disappointing" that some players on the national soccer team at the Asian Games made remarks that drew criticism over military service exemptions.
Hong made the comment on the 12th at a National Assembly National Defense Committee audit held at the agency's offices in Daejeon, responding to a question from Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea, who asked how she viewed the conduct of the players after the controversy prompted public calls to reconsider the exemption system.
"As commissioner, I take seriously the sense of loss that young men currently serving may have felt, as well as the public's calls for the system to be improved," Hong said.
Asked about her position on the exemption system, Hong said her view was "the same as the Ministry of National Defense's," signaling agreement with a gradual phase-out. On timing, however, she said a basic plan for defense reform was being drawn up and was in the final stages of review. "I don't think this is the time for me to comment, and I understand an announcement is coming soon," she said. She added that she believed "the right approach is to set a target year for abolition and gradually reduce exemptions in the meantime."
Kim cited the case of K-pop group BTS, noting that all of its members completed military service even though there had been public support for exempting them because they had done so much to raise the country's international profile. Hong said the group's decision "contributed greatly to strengthening fairness in military service and public trust." She added that she believed many people around the world admire BTS all the more because its members faithfully fulfilled their national obligations.