WINNER's Song Min-ho gets suspended prison term for skipping mandatory service days

Song Min-ho, the 33-year-old member of K-pop boy band WINNER better known as Mino, was sentenced to a suspended prison term on Thursday for repeatedly failing to report for his alternative mandatory service.

The Seoul Western District Court’s Criminal Division 10, presided over by Judge Sung Jun-kyu, handed down a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, after finding Song guilty of violating the Military Service Act.

Song was charged with leaving his workplace without authorisation on 102 days while serving as a social service worker at a Mapo District Facility Management Corporation facility, from March 2023 to December 2024.

The court said: “Military service is a duty to ensure the security and existence of the state and must be faithfully fulfilled. Social service agents are no exception.” It noted high public interest in how entertainment-industry workers carry out their service. In mitigation, the judge said Song had admitted all charges, was showing remorse, that poor health appeared to have affected his service, and that he had pledged to fulfil his remaining service period.

Prosecutors had sought 18 months in prison. A supervisor surnamed Lee received 10 months, suspended for two years, for signing attendance records to make it appear Song had reported for work.

Arriving at court, Song said he had reflected deeply and regretted it every day. He did not answer questions about completing his remaining service.

Sources

• Korea JoongAng Daily: Boy band Winner’s Mino gets suspended prison term for negligence in mandatory service (Yonhap)
• The Korea Times: WINNER’s Song Min-ho gets suspended prison term for negligence in mandatory service (Yonhap)
• Seoul Economic Daily (English): Winner’s Song Min-ho Avoids Prison in Military Service Case
• ChosunBiz (English): Song Min-ho gets suspended sentence for negligent service in South Korea