Portrait of Yoon Suk Yeol
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Yoon Suk Yeol on BTS

Praises cultural role (moderate)

TL;DR

Yoon Suk Yeol acknowledges BTS as a significant driver of South Korea's global cultural soft power and economic success.

Key Points

  • The president visited the army unit where BTS leader RM was serving to encourage soldiers during the Chuseok holiday in September 2024.

  • He previously stated that the success of K-pop stars like BTS is "100% the effort from the private sector" rather than government support.

  • His administration faced public debate regarding compulsory military service for the group members, with some fans being concerned over related political turmoil in late 2024.

Summary

Yoon Suk Yeol has expressed recognition for the global impact and economic contribution of the K-pop group BTS. When addressing an audience at Harvard Kennedy School, he cited the band as a prime example of South Korea's cultural strength, noting their success alongside films like Parasite. However, he specifically stated that the government had not been the primary supporter of this cultural outreach, attributing the success "100% to the effort from the private sector and the market itself." He indicated that the government's role is primarily to facilitate this by clearing regulations and red tape.

His administration has been central to the debate surrounding the group's compulsory military service, a topic that has previously caused public division. While his predecessor's administration saw a law passed allowing deferment until age 30 for pop stars under certain conditions, the incoming president vowed to increase military salaries for all conscripts. More recently, the president visited an army unit where a BTS leader was serving, underscoring the importance of national defense while recognizing the soldiers as the "backbone of our country's economy."

Key Quotes

“National defense and security are the most important functions of the state, and the national economy can only stand firm on the foundation of national security,”

Frequently Asked Questions

Yoon Suk Yeol acknowledges BTS's substantial contribution to South Korea's international reputation and economy, recognizing their soft power. He credits their success primarily to private sector efforts, suggesting the government's role is to facilitate their freedom to operate.

His public comments suggest a consistent acknowledgment of the band's cultural and economic value since his election period. He has balanced this praise with an emphasis on the importance of fulfilling mandatory national defense obligations.

The president has hailed BTS as a key element of South Korea's cultural outreach and soft power on the global stage. He mentioned the group when discussing how cultural exports have made the nation more attractive internationally.