Ministry of Defense Denies Allegations of Special Treatment for BTS V's Phone Use During Military Service

The Ministry of Defense has dismissed allegations that BTS member V (Kim Taehyung) received special privileges for using a mobile phone during his military service.

On November 20, a post titled "Response to Complaint on Min Hee-jin and BTS V's Text Messages" was shared on an online community. The post included the ministry's official response to claims of preferential treatment regarding V's phone usage.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the Army Training Center, where V served, allows trainees to use mobile phones for one hour on weekends and public holidays. The ministry clarified that V received a phone in accordance with the training center's guidelines and used it during the afternoon hours, not at dawn.

Additionally, the ministry stated, "There has been no instance where Kim Taehyung was allowed to use a mobile phone outside of the permitted hours, nor has such usage been overlooked or tolerated." It further explained, "Details regarding the timing, method, or content of specific communications cannot be disclosed under the Personal Information Protection Act and the Communications Privacy Act."

The controversy first arose in October when Min Hee-jin, former CEO of Ador, mentioned her friendship with V during a YouTube broadcast. Min stated, "V sometimes calls me from the military. He contacted me asking, 'Are you okay?' when I was going through some issues. He even sent me a message at dawn on my birthday to wish me well."

Following this broadcast, a concerned individual filed a complaint with the Ministry of Defense. The complaint pointed out that V enlisted on December 11, 2023, and Min Hee-jin's birthday is listed as December 16. The complainant noted, "This would mean Kim Taehyung, as a trainee, sent a message only five days after enlisting. This raises suspicions of serious violations of military regulations, potentially overlooked because he is a famous K-pop idol."

However, with the Ministry of Defense denying any preferential treatment for V, questions have been raised about the accuracy of Min Hee-jin's claims regarding receiving a message from V at dawn on her birthday.