Song Min-ho, Admitted to Dereliction of Duty, But Was There No Conspiracy? Why the Divergence [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

While Song Min-ho, formerly of WINNER, has admitted to his wrongdoing in the trial for violating the Military Service Act and stands on the brink of a prison sentence, attention is also focused on the background of A, the person responsible for managing his service, who was indicted alongside Song and denies the allegations.

The single judge of Criminal Division 10 at Seoul Western District Court held the first trial session for Song Min-ho and A on the 21st regarding their alleged violations of the Military Service Act. Previously, the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Won Shin-hye, had non-detained and indicted both individuals on December 30, 2025, on charges of violating the Military Service Act.

On this day, prosecutors sought a one-year and six-month prison sentence for Song Min-ho, who admitted to all charges in the indictment.

First, Song Min-ho, who appeared in a black suit, explicitly stated that he admitted to all the facts alleged in the prosecution's indictment, leading to the immediate conclusion of arguments regarding Song Min-ho. The prosecution pointed out that Song Min-ho, while working as a public service worker, failed to report for work normally and left his workplace for 102 days, indicating that he had been absent without leave for a long period and did not perform actual work, thus seeking a one-year and six-month prison sentence.

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 in the Republic of Korea, I failed to faithfully fulfill my duty of national defense that I must carry out to the end. I am suffering from bipolar disorder and panic disorder, and I am well aware that this illness should never be used as an excuse or a pretext. As someone who receives the love of many people, seeing such shameful behavior where I cannot set a good example makes me feel truly sorry. I am left with only great regret over my choices."

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

Song Min-ho's lawyer stated, "Song Min-ho has admitted to all the facts in the indictment and is taking time to reflect on his failure to faithfully fulfill the sacred duty of military service that he, as a young person in the Republic of Korea, ought to bear. However, we ask that special circumstances be deeply considered when determining the sentence."

He further added, "At the time of the alleged offense in this case, 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 he could not perform normal duties. Due to this, he made wrong judgments while forgetting the strict standards that should be held as a citizen. However, during the investigation, Song Min-ho voluntarily submitted evidence that could be disadvantageous to himself and cooperated with all truths, never evading the weight of his past. Once again, we ask that the law show the utmost leniency this one time so that he may respond properly to the nation's call and be reborn as a diligent member of society."

However, the sentencing date for today's trial has not been finalized. This is because A denied the charges, stating, "There is no fact that I conspired with Song Min-ho to leave his post," and the trial regarding A will continue. A plans to prove his innocence through evidence investigation at the next session. The next trial for A is scheduled for May 21.

According to the prosecution, Song Min-ho worked as a public service worker at a facility in Mapo-gu, Seoul, from March 2023 to December 2024, but is suspected of leaving his workplace without valid reason and neglecting attendance and work duties. A is suspected of neglecting supervision while 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 service obligation as a public service worker at the Mapo Facility Management Corporation from March 2023 and moved his workplace to the Mapo Resident Convenience Facility in March 2024. However, doubts about poor performance emerged just before his discharge from the call-up. 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 from the call-up on December 23, 2024, was suspected of neglecting work, such as failing to report for duty properly during his time as a public service worker. Consequently, the Seoul Mapo Police Station conducted a summons investigation on 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 "there were no problems with his service," but the results of three investigations revealed that he generally admitted to dereliction of duty and leaving his workplace.

In particular, according to the indictment submitted by the prosecution, Song Min-ho was absent without leave for a total of 102 days while working as a public service worker at the Mapo-gu Facility Management Corporation and the Resident Convenience Facility, leaving his service without valid reason. The service period for a public service worker is one year and nine months, and excluding weekends and public holidays, the total number of days he was required to work is approximately 430 days. Song Min-ho was absent without leave for a period corresponding to about one-quarter of that time. In particular, in July 2024, he was absent for a total of 19 days. There were 23 days he was required to work, but he worked only four days.

Furthermore, the prosecution viewed that manager A also participated in Song Min-ho's absence from work. It is reported that when Song Min-ho said he would not come to work due to reasons such as oversleeping or fatigue, A permitted it, and documents were falsely created to make it appear that he had reported for work normally. The prosecution specified in the indictment that in May 2023, A told Song Min-ho, "I have training tomorrow, so I will not come to work; let's meet on May 31," informing Song Min-ho in advance that A would not be present, and as a result, Song Min-ho did not come to work arbitrarily, and subsequently, the daily service status log was also created as if Song Min-ho had reported for work.

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*This content was translated by AI.