According to a report from The Korea Herald, the Korean government announced a new amendment to its military service law.

Members of the Korean boy group BTS will not be exempted from mandatory military service, as the South Korean government aims to limit military exemptions.

BTS, chart-topping K-pop group, has spoken out on LGBTQ rights, mental health and more. The Korean Wave or hallyu — it includes Korean TV dramas and K-pop — sweeping across the world has come as a blessing in disguise for the country’s image and economy, especially after the 1997 Asian financial crisis. K-Pop group BTS has continued to keep the attention of their fans since their formation in 2010. K-pop boy group BTS could impact South Korea’s economy by nearly $1 billion, a government official said. It is awarded by the President of South Korea for "outstanding meritorious services in the fields of culture and art in the interest of promoting the national culture and national development." The wave of South Korean pop culture around the world hasn’t happened by accident – it was a deliberate government plan, writes Christine Ro.
After BTS increased awareness for K-Pop and the Korean culture by becoming one of the hottest musicians in the world, the government ministries began reviewing whether K-Pop idols should be given a similar exemption for winning awards in foreign music award ceremonies. The South Korean government on its part is actively participating in the development of the country’s cultural economy. BTS' members have opened up about their future military duty in the past.

And it has even reached North Korea.

The Order of Cultural Merit (Hangul: 문화훈장) is one of South Korea's orders of merit.