WINNER member Song Mino has denied allegations that his personal relationship with his former civil service supervisor affected his military service, testifying in court that their interactions were based solely on friendship.
The singer appeared as a witness on July 14 during the third hearing of a case involving his former supervisor, identified as Mr. A, who is accused of violating South Korea’s military service law.
During his testimony in the Seoul Western District Court, Song Mino spoke about the medical issues that led to his position as a public service employee. He said his symptoms fluctuated significantly, making it difficult to predict his condition, and revealed that his doctor initially advised him against the service.
According to Song Mino, he regularly informed Mr. A about his health, and the supervisor often expressed concern about his well-being.
Responding to questions from the defence, Song Mino confirmed that he occasionally completed batch attendance records and often informed Mr A via text message when his health made it difficult to report for duty.
However, he denied that the supervisor ever gave him advance permission to skip work or arranged unauthorized absences. Instead, Song Mino testified that Mr. A generally encouraged him to fulfill his service obligations while showing consideration when his health worsened. A key issue during the hearing centered on Song Mino’s personal relationship with Mr A. The singer acknowledged having:
- I lent money to Mr.
- I gave dance-related advice to Mr. A’s son.
- I went fishing with him.
The defense argued that the prosecution believes these actions may have been compensation for preferential treatment during military service. Song Mino strongly denied the accusation. “Absolutely not. Those were just things I did because we became friends.”
The testimony is part of the ongoing trial of Mr A, who has been indicted on charges relating to alleged violations of the Military Service Act. The court is yet to reach a verdict as the proceedings continue.
Sources: Nate News
