BTS's Suga Completes Military Service, Apologizes for Past Incident

BTS member Suga has officially completed his alternative military service and greeted fans with a heartfelt message.

On the morning of the 21st, Suga posted on the fan community platform Weverse, saying, "As of today, I have been discharged and I greet you after a long time," expressing gratitude to fans who waited for him.

He continued, "I spent the past two years reflecting deeply on myself, and it was an opportunity to look back," adding, "I apologize for the disappointment and concern caused by last year's incident." He specifically mentioned his regret towards his fellow members, referring to the electric scooter DUI incident from last year.

Suga had previously attended the finale of J-Hope's solo concert 'Hope on the Stage' at Goyang Sports Complex on the 13th. Wearing a beanie and mask, he joined the audience with his fellow members, making a public appearance.

With Suga's return, BTS has effectively concluded their 'military hiatus.' The eldest member Jin was discharged in June last year, and J-Hope completed his service in October. RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook have also returned, reuniting all seven members with their fans.

Last September, Suga was fined 15 million KRW for an electric scooter DUI charge. The Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office filed a summary indictment against him on the 10th for driving under the influence. A summary indictment is a procedure for relatively minor charges, allowing the court to impose fines without a formal trial.

Suga was caught by police on August 6th last year, around 11:15 PM, driving an electric scooter under the influence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. He was booked the next day for DUI, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.227%, far exceeding the license revocation standard of 0.08%. Under current law, a BAC of 0.2% or higher can result in imprisonment for 2 to 5 years or a fine between 10 million and 20 million KRW.

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Suga's Full Weverse Message

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Hello everyone, it's Suga.
It's been about two years. How have you all been?
As of today, I have been discharged and I greet you after a long time.
I've been looking forward to this day, and it's been so long that I was worried about how to greet you.
First and foremost, I want to sincerely thank the fans who have waited for me. I really missed you.
I spent the past two years reflecting on myself.
I felt the need to step back from what I've been doing for so long and take a moment to look at myself.
I hadn't been able to reflect on myself while running forward, but this time allowed me to do so.
Thank you, ARMY, for waiting and thank you.
I apologize for the disappointment and concern caused by last year's incident.
It was heartbreaking to know that I hurt the fans' feelings.
I also felt sorry for the members who might have felt burdened because of me.
I will work harder to repay the love you have given me.
I love you all, and I will keep you updated from time to time.



Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr