K-pop star convicted of violating military service law

Song Min-ho, known as Mino from K-pop group Winner, received a suspended one-year prison sentence after a South Korean court convicted him of violating military service law. The case highlights the strict expectations placed on social service personnel and the public scrutiny of entertainers’ military duties.

The court found that Song had 102 unauthorised absences during a 21-month posting at a Seoul community centre from 2023 to 2024. His sentence is suspended for two years, so he will avoid prison if he commits no crime during that period; he admitted the charges and expressed remorse. His supervisor, who falsified attendance records, also received a suspended sentence.