A popular TV actor who enlisted in the Marine Corps for his conscription has been voted as the defining symbol of military mandatory service by netizens, the military recruitment agency said on Thursday.
Hyun Bin (The Korea Herald)
According to the Military Manpower Administration, actor Hyun Bin who is serving on the frontlines was voted as the role model of the official military service through an online poll.
The 29-year-old actor serving in the 6th Marine Brigade on Baengnyeong Island near the northwestern maritime border with North Korea received the most votes out of 351 men suggested by the public, which included actors Cho In-sung, Cha In-pyo and singer Lee Jung.
Of the 351 men, 299 were celebrities. There were no political or social leaders among the suggestions. According to the MMA, common cases among the remaining 52 civilians were those who had received exemption from the military service because of medical problems but chose to serve regardless.
Hyun had been accepted to join the Marines in January.
He gained tremendous popularity with his role in the SBS weekend drama “Secret Garden” and built up an enormous fan base both nationwide and overseas. Two recently released movies in which Hyun starred, “Late Autumn” and “Come Rain, Come Shine” also received attention.
Hyun’s case is in sharp contrast to a host of actors who have been charged with draft-dodging.
The ruling Grand National Party lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok once called the actor’s decision to join the Marines an act of “noblesse oblige,” and hoped it would be a chance to change young South Koreans’ perception of the mandatory military duty.
In Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for about two years.
By Robert Lee
(robert@heraldcorp.com)
<한글기사>
네티즌, 최고 병역모범인 현빈 선정
(서울=연합뉴스) 김연숙 기자 = 네티즌이 꼽은 최고의 '공정병역 롤모델'은 배우 현빈(본명 김태평)인 것으로 나타났다.
병무청은 지난달 7일부터 31일까지 인터넷상에서 '공정병역 롤모델 찾기' 이벤트를 실시한 결과 351명을 추천받았다면서 이중 현빈이 87표를 얻어 1위를 차지했다 고 18일 밝혔다.
조인성과 차인표가 각각 49표로 2위, 가수 이정이 38표로 뒤를 이었다. 천정명 ㆍ이준기ㆍ토니안ㆍ김흥국 등의 이름도 거론됐다.
351명 가운데 299명이 연예인이었고 52명은 일반인이었다. 이들 중 정치인 등 사회 지도층은 없었다.
병무청 관계자는 "유명 연예인들이 공정한 병역의무 이행을 위한 사회적 분위기 조성에 많은 영향을 미치고 있음을 알 수 있다"고 말했다.
일반인 가운데는 건강상태로 병역면제를 받았는데도 군 입대를 택한 가족과 친구 등을 추천한 사례가 많았다.
천식 등으로 몸이 좋지 않은데도 세 번의 시도 끝에 군에 입대한 동생, 3대 모두 현역복무를 마친 병역명문가 등 다양한 사연이 소개됐다.
병무청은 접수 사례를 모아 소셜네크워크서비스(SNS)등의 매체를 통해 홍보하는 등 병역이행 롤모델을 지속적으로 발굴하기로 했다.
