[Breaking News] 'Dereliction of Duty' Song Min-ho Sought 1 Year and 6 Months in Prison... "Panic Disorder Is No Excuse, I Want to Serve Again" [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Song Min-ho, formerly of WINNER, admitted his wrongdoing in a trial for violating the Military Service Act and now faces a prison sentence.

The Criminal Division 10 of Seoul Western District Court held the first trial session on the 21st for Song Min-ho and A, the person responsible for his duty management, on charges of violating the Military Service Act. Previously, the Criminal Division 1 of Seoul Western District Prosecution Service, led by Chief Prosecutor Won Shin-hye, had filed non-detained indictments against the two on December 30, 2025, on charges of violating the Military Service Act.

On this day, the Prosecution Service sought a 1-year and 6-month prison sentence for Song Min-ho, who admitted to all charges in the indictment.

Song Min-ho, who appeared in a black suit, personally stated that he admitted to all the charges in the Prosecution Service's indictment. In contrast, A denied the charges, saying, "I never conspired with Song Min-ho." The Prosecution Service reported that Song Min-ho failed to report for duty normally while working as a social service agent and was absent from his workplace for 102 days.

In his final statement, Song Min-ho said, "I would like to express my apologies to the presiding judge and everyone present here. As a young person of the Republic of Korea, I failed to faithfully fulfill my national defense obligation until the end. I suffer from bipolar disorder and panic disorder, and I am well aware that this illness should never be used as an excuse or alibi. As someone loved by many, seeing such shameful behavior where I could not set a good example fills me with deep regret. I am left with only great regret over my choices."

He continued, "I am currently undergoing intensive treatment. I hope to recover my health as soon as possible and, if given the opportunity to serve again, I want to complete it faithfully until the end. I would like to apologize once again."

Song Min-ho's lawyer stated, "Song Min-ho has admitted to all the charges and is reflecting on his failure to faithfully fulfill the sacred obligation of military service that he, as a young person of the Republic of Korea, should have borne. However, we ask that special circumstances be deeply considered when determining the sentence."

He further added, "At the time of the offense, Song Min-ho was suffering from severe physical and mental pain, including extreme bipolar disorder, panic attacks, and cervical spine rupture, to the extent that performing normal duties was difficult. Due to this, he made erroneous judgments while forgetting the strict standards expected of a citizen. However, during the investigation, Song Min-ho voluntarily submitted evidence that could be detrimental to himself and cooperated fully, never attempting to evade the weight of his past actions. Once again, we ask the court to show the utmost leniency in allowing him to respond properly to the nation's call and to be reborn as a diligent member of society."

According to the Prosecution Service, Song Min-ho worked as a social service agent at a facility in Mapo-gu, Seoul, from March 2023 to December 2024 but is accused of leaving his workplace without valid reason and neglecting his attendance and duties. A is accused of neglecting supervision despite being aware of Song Min-ho's dereliction of duty.

Song Min-ho, who was classified as a Class 4 supplementary service member during the conscription physical examination, fulfilled his military obligation as a social service agent at the Mapo Facility Management Corporation from March 2023 and transferred his workplace to the Mapo Resident Convenience Facility in March 2024. However, doubts about his poor performance emerged just before his discharge. Frequent sick leave and unfaithful attendance became issues. It is known that Song Min-ho has been receiving treatment for panic disorder and bipolar disorder.

Song Min-ho, who was discharged on December 23, 2024, faced allegations of neglecting his duties, such as failing to report for work properly during his time as a social service agent. Consequently, the Seoul Mapo Police Station conducted a summons investigation into Song Min-ho, who was filed under suspicion of violating the Military Service Act on January 23, 2025. At that time, Song Min-ho explained the facts regarding the allegations raised against him, stating that he "worked according to regulations" and "had no problems with his service," but the results of three separate investigations revealed that he largely admitted to dereliction of duty and unauthorized absence from his workplace.

In particular, according to the indictment submitted by the Prosecution Service, Song Min-ho was absent without leave for a total of 102 days while working as a social service agent at the Mapo-gu Facility Management Corporation and Resident Convenience Facility, leaving his duty without valid reason. The service period for social service agents is 1 year and 9 months, and excluding weekends and public holidays, the total number of required workdays is approximately 430 days. Song Min-ho was absent without leave for a period equivalent to about one-quarter of this time. Notably, in July 2024, he was absent for a total of 19 days. Out of 23 days he was required to work, he worked only 4 days.

Additionally, the Prosecution Service viewed that manager A also participated in Song Min-ho's unauthorized absences. It was reported that when Song Min-ho claimed he would not report for work due to oversleeping or fatigue, A approved it and falsely prepared documents as if he had reported for work normally. The indictment specified that in May 2023, A told Song Min-ho, "I have training tomorrow, so I won't be at work. Let's meet on May 31," thereby informing him in advance that A would not be present, leading Song Min-ho to arbitrarily skip work. It also stated that A later prepared daily duty status records as if Song Min-ho had reported for work.

Furthermore, Song Min-ho recently drew attention after being spotted at the VIP screening of the movie 'Method Acting' held at COEX Megabox in Seoul. Reports circulated online that he attended the event with his face covered by a mask and hat. Previously, a two-shot photo of Song Min-ho and Lee Dong-hwi was released on an online community, and Lee Dong-hwi had personally confirmed their friendship on SNS by saying, "I received this as a gift right after arriving in Korea. Thank you. (Song) Min-ho, this is cool, right?" This has led to speculation that Lee Dong-hwi may have invited Song Min-ho to this event.

However, in an interview with StarNews regarding the release of 'Method Acting', Lee Dong-hwi drew a clear line, stating, "I did not invite Song Min-ho." He added, "I did not contact him; I only heard that he attended the event on-site."

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*This content was translated by AI.