[Jung Yong-hwa's Instagram]
SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Aju News) -- Idol band CNBLUE's Jung Yong-hwa, who was under fire for his illegal entry into a post-graduate school program, will enter an army boot camp to start his mandatory military service in March, his management agency said Friday.
FNC Entertainment said in a statement that the 28-year-old would go to the boot camp on March 5 to comply with an army draft order. He will officially suspend all public activities and concerts after his Hong Kong concert on January 27, it said.
"We ask for the understanding of fans," FNC said, assuring fans that refunds for canceled concerts would be made appropriately.
Jung's sudden enlistment came on the heels of a scandal over his program at the Department of Applied Arts of Kyunghee University's post-graduate school in 2016 without taking a proper interview.
The singer's agency denied any preferential treatment or illegal activity, insisting he was granted an entry through additional recruitment because there were not enough applicants to meet the quorum at the time.
All able-bodied South Korean men aged 18-35 are required to serve in the military for about two years, because the Korean peninsula is still technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice with no peace treaty signed between the two Koreas.
The military relies heavily on a compulsory service system. Exemptions are rare, with some Olympic gold medalists are not required to serve. Some celebrities use college enrollment and other means to delay military service.
