Song Mino apologizes after military service law violation sentence

Song Mino, a member of the South Korean boy group WINNER, has issued a handwritten apology following a court ruling regarding his violation of the Military Service Act. The apology comes eight days after the Seoul Western District Court sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended for two years.

Song was accused of being absent from his duties as a social service agent for 102 days without justification. In his social media post, he expressed regret for his lack of responsibility and for disappointing fans and young men currently fulfilling their military obligations. He stated that he would faithfully fulfill his remaining duties and legal obligations.

A supervisor responsible for managing Song's service was also sentenced to ten months in prison, suspended for two years, for failing to report the absences and falsifying documents to hide the unauthorized leave.

Public reaction to Song's apology has been mixed, with some critics noting the delay and the lack of specific details regarding the circumstances of his absence. Additionally, actor Byun Yo-han faced scrutiny for publicly supporting Song by leaving heart emojis on the apology post, which some viewed as insensitive given the nature of the legal violation.