A petition has been filed to reassess ASTRO's Cha Eun-woo's military band placement, emphasizing the need for a serious review by the Ministry of Defense.
April/9/2026 17:19Related Groups & Members
A petition has been submitted requesting a reconsideration of ASTRO's Cha Eun-woo's appropriateness in the military band. On the 9th, according to information provided, the relevant petition was accepted through the National Petition System on this day. The petitioner argued that 'the Ministry of National Defense should not respond passively as a mere complaint, but should handle it strictly from the perspective of protecting the military's honor, the trust of the people, and the morale of the soldiers.' They continued, stating that 'the personnel and inspection office of the support group should re-examine the appropriateness of the placement and take swift action as necessary.' Furthermore, they noted that 'the honor guard and military band of the Ministry of National Defense are organizations involved in major ceremonies such as central government events, national holidays, presidential-related events, and state funerals, and have significant external exposure and symbolism.' They expressed concern that considering the scale and ripple effect of the controversy, there is a high risk of leading to a relative sense of deprivation among soldiers and damaging trust in the fairness of the military organization. They added, 'Military service is not a privilege but a duty, and the attitude and dignity of soldiers are directly linked to the honor of the entire organization,' urging that this matter be regarded as a serious issue in terms of 'military discipline and morale protection' and that the appropriateness of the current duties should be re-examined. Prior to this, on the 8th, Cha Eun-woo reported through his Instagram that he had paid the full amount of the imposed tax penalty. In response, the petitioner revealed, 'I temporarily suspended the subsequent petition, but after Cha Eun-woo apologized again regarding the tax issue on April 8, I submitted a follow-up petition to the Ministry of National Defense on April 9, requesting a reassessment of the duty change.'
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