SEOUL -- The oldest member of South Korean K-pop phenomenon BTS reported for mandatory military service on Tuesday, becoming the first of the seven-strong globally popular music group to meet their national obligation and spurring fans to wish for his good health and safety.
Jin, whose full name is Kim Seok-jin, entered a military training facility in Yeoncheon county, about 50 kilometers north of downtown Seoul and near the tense border with North Korea. There the 30-year-old will undergo about five weeks of basic training before assignment to an army unit. He has said his service will last for 18 months, with discharge scheduled in June 2024.
