Full Breakdown
Winner’s Mino Sentenced to Suspended Prison Term for Military Service Violations
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Sentencing of Song Min-ho
On October 1, the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Song Min-ho—known professionally as Mino, a member of the K-pop group Winner—to a one-year prison term suspended for two years. The judgment follows a conviction for breaching South Korea’s Military Service Act by missing 102 non-consecutive days while serving as a social-service agent.
Mandatory Service Context
All able-bodied South Korean men must complete at least 18 months of military duty. Those deemed medically unfit may be assigned to alternative social-service roles, such as the community centre position Mino held in western Seoul from March 2023 to December 2024. Public scrutiny of entertainers’ compliance with these obligations has been intense, with past high-profile cases involving Psy and Steve Yoo.
Court Findings and Penalties
It noted Mino’s 102 days of unauthorized absence and the involvement of his supervisor, Lee, who received a 10-month suspended sentence for falsifying attendance records. Prosecutors had sought an 18-month term, but the court considered Mino’s admission of guilt, expressed remorse, and health-related factors as mitigating circumstances.
Reactions and Future Requirements
The Military Manpower Administration indicated that, once the ruling is finalized, Mino will likely be required to serve an additional 102 days—matching the period of his unauthorized absences. Completion of this extra service would satisfy the court’s suspended sentence, allowing him to avoid incarceration.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Military service is a duty for the nation's existence and security, and must be fulfilled faithfully. Social service workers cannot be an exception,” — The court