Mino, a member of the K-pop group WINNER, appeared in court on Tuesday as a witness in the trial of his former military service supervisor.
The supervisor is accused of violating military service laws. Song, who is currently facing his own legal proceedings and a potential 1.5-year prison sentence, acknowledged having a close personal relationship with the supervisor but denied any collusion to receive preferential treatment during his service.
The Seoul Western District Court held the supervisor’s third hearing on Tuesday. Song, whose defense has already concluded in his separate trial, took the stand as a witness rather than a defendant.
During the hearing, Song admitted that he had lent money to the supervisor, advised the supervisor’s child on dance-related activities and even went on a two-day fishing trip with him. However, he firmly denied the prosecution’s suggestion that those personal interactions amounted to bribery intended to secure favorable treatment during his military service.
“I did not act with any expectation of special treatment or compensation,” Song said. “Everything I did was simply out of the friendship we developed during my service.”
Evidence presented in court showed that Song traveled outside his assigned service area, including to Busan and Jeju Island, without seeking permission from his supervisor on each occasion. Court records also indicated that his attendance logs were falsified in bulk, with his leave and sick days processed retroactively. During that period, the supervisor reportedly sent Song a message saying, “If you’re tired, you can rest at home.”
Addressing the message, Song testified, “It’s true that he was very considerate of my health condition.” However, he added, “Not reporting to work was entirely my responsibility. My absences were based on my own judgment and choice.” Song then bowed his head and expressed remorse for the legal trouble his actions had caused the supervisor.
Song cited severe bipolar disorder and panic disorder as the reasons he struggled to fulfill his duties. “My doctor advised against military service from the very beginning,” he said. “Even after I enlisted, I was repeatedly advised to discontinue my service or was deemed unfit. But I wanted to fulfill my military duty until the end.”
He concluded, “I now regret my decision to try to complete my service.”
The court is scheduled to hold the supervisor’s final hearing on August 20th before delivering its verdict.
>> Mino Faces 18-Month Prison Sentence Request Over Military Service Case
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