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V (right) and RM (left) pose with their BTS bandmate Jin before enlisting in the Army on Monday at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. (Jin's Instagram account) |
After Jimin and Jungkook's enlistment on Tuesday, all seven member of K-pop superstar band BTS will be enlisted in the mandatary military service, which is required by all able-bodied South Korean men. V in particular has his eyes on becoming a member of the special forces unit of the command defending the nation's capital.
It has been reported that the soon-to-be 28-year-old has applied to serve in the 35th Special Mission Battalion, a counterterrorism unit of the Capital Defense Command that is in charge of defending Seoul.
"I know ARMY (fans) are worried. Honestly, I'm applying (to the 35th Battalion) because I wanted to push myself.... I can be careful when I need to. I'll make sure that I won't get hurt," V told fans via K-pop fan community platform Weverse on Sunday.
Fans' concern derives from the fact that the 35th Battalion is infamous for its tough training process, which exists for good reason. The unit is entrusted with counter-terrorism operations in Seoul, and is one of the five military units designated by the South Korean law as counter-terrorism forces.
As special forces, soldiers in the battalion are required not only to have top-notch physical capabilities and marksmanship, but also hand-to-hand combat skills, the ability to rappel down from buildings or helicopters, and other skills needed to handle extreme situations fighting terrorism. It has been reported that members of the battalion have trained in some form of martial arts such as Taekwondo, Judo or Aikido.
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Fans of BTS gather in front of the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province on Monday, as V and Rm enlist in the Army. (Yonhap) |
The majority of its soldiers are categorized as "special warriors," a rank granted to soldiers who excel at tests of their physical and combat capabilities. The system started in 2007. The soldiers are expected to retain their physical capacities in the training facilities that are said to be top-notch in the Capital Defense Command.
But other BTS members have already proven that they are fully capable of keeping up with the best of the soldiers in the South Korean military. Both Jin and J-Hope, the two members who started serving in active military duty before V and RM, have qualified for the special warrior rank.
It is not common for celebrities to serve their mandatary military service as a member of a special forces unit. Singer Oh Jong-hyuk is among the rare cases, having been a member of the ROK Marine Corps Reconnaissance Unit.
The Capital Defense Command has garnered nationwide attention lately for being featured prominently in new hit film "12.12: The Day," which depicts the military coup of Dec. 12, 1979, through which military dictator Chun Doo-hwan rose to power. Then under the command of Gen. Jang Tae-wan, it was the last line of defense against the rebel forces.
While V has expressed excitement for potentially joining the special forces unit, whether or not he indeed can do so will be up to the Army. Members of the 35th Special Mission Battalion are handpicked through a process including a physical test and interview.
