BTS member Jin will start his mandatory military service on December 13

Jin, the oldest member of the K-pop band BTS, will start his own Obligatory army service On December 13, the South Korean newspaper Aju Business Daily reported on Thursday, citing unnamed military authorities.

Jin, who will turn 30 on December 4, will be assigned to the unit after five weeks of training at a boot camp, the paper reported.

Spokesmen for BTS, HYBE and South Korea’s Ministry of Defense declined to confirm the reports.

In a social media post last week, Jin hinted that he was aiming for a “front-line” position.

After years of uncertainty, the group announced in October that they would begin their mandatory military service, starting with Jin. The group plans to implement individual projects and reunite in 2025 after all, they all served, said HYBE then.

All able-bodied men in South Korea between the ages of 18 and 28 must serve in the military for 18 to 21 months. However, some categories have been granted exemptions or served for shorter periods, including Olympic and Asian Games medalists and classical musicians and dancers who win top prizes in certain competitions. Some lawmakers have called for BTS to be fired.

South Korea’s defense minister has hinted that BTS may still perform overseas during military service.