Defense Ministry Refutes BTS’s V’s Alleged Military Privileges, Highlights Inconsistencies in Min Hee Jin’s Statements
Defense of the Private? BTS V Without Privilege
After former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin mentioned BTS's V during an interview, a controversy over alleged military privileges erupted, leading to a formal complaint to the South Korean Ministry of Defense. The results of this complaint were later leaked on an online forum, resulting in a discrepancy between Min Hee Jin's statements and the Ministry's findings .
On November 20, a post titled "Response to Complaint Regarding Min Hee Jin and BTS's V's Text Messages" was posted on an online forum. The controversy stemmed from Min Hee Jin's appearance on the show 'Kim Young Dae's School of Music' on October 29, during which she shared that she received messages from V while he was serving in the military.
Min Hee Jin had stated, “ V sometimes calls me from the military. I even joke that he calls me, ‘Are you really in the military?’ because he calls so often. He’s naturally cheerful and lively. When I was going through a tough time, he called me and said, ‘Noona, are you okay?’ On my birthday, he even texted me from the military in the middle of the night. He’s so kind and thoughtful that I was deeply moved. ”
However, his remarks sparked a backlash, as Min Hee Jin's birthday is on December 16, and V enlisted on December 11. According to Min Hee Jin's timeline, V reportedly sent the message just five days after his enlistment, while he was still a trainee in basic training. This led to speculation that V may have been granted special privileges, such as being allowed to use a phone outside of regulated hours.
A concerned individual filed a complaint with the Ministry of Defense, arguing: " This is a serious violation of military regulations. I suspect that military officials turned a blind eye to V's use of a phone because he is a famous K-pop idol . "
The plaintiff also questioned Min Hee Jin's statement, saying, " She claimed that V texted her while he was in the military. But getting vacation leave in less than a week after enlisting is impossible. Trainees are only allowed to use phones for one hour on weekends, and scheduled messages cannot be sent from the training center ."
The Ministry of Defense later denied the allegations of special privileges. According to the response shared by the complainant on November 20, the 802nd Military Police Brigade’s complaints department clarified, “ At the Army Training Center where Kim Tae Hyung (V’s real name) was stationed, trainees are allowed to use their phones for one hour on weekends and holidays. Kim Tae Hyung used his phone during the designated afternoon hours, not at dawn , in accordance with the training center’s guidelines .”
The ministry also stressed, “ There is no evidence that Kim Tae Hyung was given special permission or that exceptions were made for him. Furthermore, specific details regarding the timing, method, and content of the conversation cannot be disclosed under Article 3 of the Personal Information Protection Act and Article 3 of the Communications Privacy Act. ”
The ministry's clarification raises questions about the accuracy of Min Hee Jin's statement, particularly her claim that V contacted her at dawn. Some netizens speculate that her account may have been exaggerated or inaccurate, fueling the controversy.
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