WINNER's Song Min-ho Faces Trial for Alleged Unauthorized Absences During Military Service

WINNER's Song Min-ho (33) is set to face his first trial for charges related to unauthorized absences during his mandatory military service as a social service agent.

According to legal sources on the 21st, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 10 (Judge Sung Joon-kyu) will hold the first hearing for Song Min-ho and his service management supervisor, identified as Mr. Lee, at 10 a.m. The initial hearing was scheduled for the 24th of last month, but was postponed after Song's legal team requested a delay in February.

Song is accused of habitually being absent without leave from his duties at the Mapo-gu Facilities Management Corporation and community facilities from March 2023 to December 2024. The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office has reportedly stated in its indictment that Song was absent without authorization for a total of 102 days, thus abandoning his duties without just cause.

Social service agents, who do not work on weekends and public holidays, are required to work approximately 430 days during their 21-month service period. If the prosecution's claims are accurate, Song would have been absent for about a quarter of his required service days. Under the Military Service Act (Article 89-2), those who abandon their duties without just cause for more than eight days can face up to three years in prison.

The prosecution also suspects that Mr. Lee, the service management supervisor, was complicit in Song's unauthorized absences. According to the indictment, the investigation revealed that Mr. Lee allegedly allowed Song to skip work for reasons such as oversleeping or fatigue and then falsified documents to make it appear as though Song had attended work. It is also alleged that Mr. Lee manipulated Song's remaining leave and sick days to cover up the absences.

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter one@tenasia.co.kr