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4 clusters · 14 sources · 15 days · First seen · Last updated

Song Mino military service law violation

Overview

Song Min-ho, a member of the K-pop group WINNER, was sentenced by the Seoul Western District Court to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating South Korea’s Military Service Act. The court found that Song, serving as a social service agent in Mapo-gu, Seoul, recorded 102 unauthorized absences between March 2023 and December 2024.

In his defense, Song cited personal struggles with depression and panic disorder, though he stated these should not serve as excuses. The court noted his admission of guilt and lack of prior criminal records but emphasized that military service is a “fundamental duty that must be performed faithfully.” A service manager was also sentenced to ten months in prison, suspended for two years, for falsifying records to hide the absences; while the manager was sentenced, they have denied conspiring with Song to facilitate the absences.

Following the ruling, Song issued a handwritten apology via social media, expressing deep regret and stating he felt “ashamed of his irresponsible choices.” Song did not appeal the initial ruling, effectively finalizing his sentence.

The Military Manpower Administration has confirmed that Song will undergo re-enlistment to account for the unauthorized absences. The administration is currently reviewing procedures to determine the exact duration and the specific agency where he will complete his service. During the trial, health issues including panic disorder and bipolar disorder were noted as mitigating factors.

Entities

Seoul Western District Court · WINNER · Song Mino · Song Min-ho · Military Manpower Administration

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 5 sources
    Song Mino to re-enlist after military service violation conviction

    WINNER member Song Mino will re-enlist for social service after a court finalized a suspended prison sentence for 102 days of unauthorized absences during his initial service period.

  2. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Song Mino apologizes after military service law violation sentence

    WINNER member Song Mino apologized via a handwritten note after being sentenced to a suspended prison term for violating the Military Service Act through 102 days of unauthorized absence.

  3. [CULTURE] 5 sources
    Song Mino apologizes following military service law violation sentence

    Winner member Song Mino issued a handwritten apology after being sentenced to a suspended prison term for 102 days of unauthorized absence during his mandatory social service period.

  4. [CULTURE] 6 sources
    Mino of WINNER sentenced for military service law violations

    K-pop star Mino (Song Min-ho) of WINNER received a suspended one-year prison sentence for 102 unauthorized absences during his mandatory social service in South Korea.

Sources

antaranews.com · biz.heraldcorp.com · ekr.chosunonline.com · isplus.com · jawapos.com · k-gen.fr · kahawatungu.com · koreastardaily.com · m.imaeil.com · mbn.co.kr · pannchoa.com · sportschosun.com · tenasia.hankyung.com · theghanareport.com

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history