Song Mino Admits to “Poor Service” Allegations But Won’t Be Re-Enlisting as Active Duty

Singer and WINNER member Song Mino has admitted to most of the allegations surrounding his poor performance during mandatory military service as a public service worker. However, despite growing public calls for him to re-enlist as active duty, such a move is not legally possible.

During a press briefing held on March 31, the Korean National Police Agency revealed, “We summoned Song Mino three times for questioning and also conducted searches and seizures as well as communications investigations. Song Mino has acknowledged most of the claims regarding unauthorized absences during work hours.”

Re-Enlistment Legally Impossible

While some netizens are calling for the idol to fulfill his service through active-duty enlistment, the Military Service Act makes this an unlikely scenario.

According to the Military Service Act, a public service worker who deserts his post without just cause must serve an extended period equal to five times the number of days missed. For instance, skipping one day results in five additional days of service.

Further, if the individual fails to report for more than eight days, they may face criminal charges of up to three years in prison. However, none of these provisions allow for a transition to active duty, as emphasized in Article 32, which only stipulates a reassignment of duty stations, not service type.

A representative from the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) confirmed, “There is no legal basis to reassign someone from public service to active-duty just because they violated regulations. Re-enlistment into active duty is not an option.”

Comparisons to Other Celebrities

Public criticism has been magnified due to past cases like PSY, who was re-enlisted into active duty following his disqualification as an industrial technical agent due to poor performance. However, that case is structurally different. PSY’s original classification was active-duty, which he reverted to once his exemption was revoked.

Notably, comedian Son Heon-soo also re-enlisted as an active-duty soldier in 2006 after being dismissed from his industrial technical post due to neglect of duty. Other celebrities such as Chun Myung-hoon, Sechskies’ Kang Sung-hoon and Lee Jae-jin have also faced changes in their military service status due to similar issues.

However, Song Mino’s situation is different. His status as a public service worker will remain unchanged. Even though he may face extended service or legal penalties, there is no legal provision that would force him to switch to active-duty military service.

Public Backlash and Military Fairness

Since the news broke, Song Mino has faced harsh scrutiny online, with many calling for equal treatment of celebrities under the law. His case has renewed public debate over celebrity accountability in fulfilling military obligations, especially amid recent controversies involving entertainers and military service.

Song Mino began his service as a public service worker in March 2023, but between then and late 2024, he was accused of habitually abusing sick leave and vacation time, failing to properly report for duty.

As the investigation continues, the public waits to see whether legal consequences will follow — but one thing is certain: re-enlistment into active duty will not be among them.