WINNER's Mino To Get Jailed? Case Of Missing 102 Days In Military - EXPLAINED

Song

Mino, a member of WINNER, is rumoured to face three years of imprisonment for military evasion. According to a report by The JoongAng Ilbo, Mino left his post without permission while serving as a social service worker. As per the website, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office stated that the WINNER member was absent from work without permission for 102 days at the Facilities Management Corporation and Public Convenience Facilities in Mapo-gu without justifiable cause. Read on to know more about this.

Song Mino to be imprisoned?

As per the aforementioned website, social service workers, who do not work on weekends and holidays, are required to work for approximately 430 days during their service period. That said, if the prosecution's claim turns out to be true, it might mean that Mino was absent without permission for approximately one quarter of this period.

As per the Military Service Act (89-2), anyone who is absent from military service for more than eight days, without justifiable clause, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than three years. Mino's service period was from March 24, 2023 to December 23, 2024. According to the indictment, his unauthorised absence from the military service increased as his discharge date approached.Moreover, the crime list compiled by the prosecution states that Mino's absences from the military service were only one day between March and May 2023. However, in July 2024, the WINNER member was said to be absent for 19 days during the rainy season. Mino served only for four days whereas he was supposed to work for 23 days.

More about Song Mino's alleged absence

The prosecution believed that a manager was also involved in Mino's absence from work. The manager was reportedly in charge of managing Mino's social service, including his departure and attendance. The prosecution's investigation also found out that when Mino refused to come to work due to fatigue, the manager permitted it and falsely created documents proving that Mino had come to work. The indictment also contained specific evidence of the conspiracy.

Having said that, the first trial was originally scheduled for March 24, however, it was postponed on Mino's request. It was pushed to April 5. And now, the Seoul Western District Court apparently plans to hold the first trial date on April 21.