BTS' Jin named 'elite soldier,' gets promoted in army two months early than scheduled
BTS member Jin gave his fans an exciting update about his life in the army: he has been promoted to the rank of Corporal in the military earlier than scheduled.
According to The Korean Herald, the Korean idol announced the good news on Weverse, a South Korean social platform designed for artists to communicate with their fans.
The singer-songwriter shared that he got the promotion after receiving the title of "elite soldier," which is only given to individuals who excelled in training. This includes shooting, administering first aid, vigilance, a three-kilometer race, CBR (Chemical Biological and Radiological) training, and individual combat.
A report from allkpop detailed that to achieve elite soldier status, the conditions required include achieving a 90 percent hit rate in shooting, 86 sit-ups within two minutes, completing more than 72 push-ups within two minutes, rapid marching in 20-kilogram full gear, 240 meters round-trip race within a minute and a half, 420 times leg tugs, and more.
With the title, Jin was promoted to Corporal much earlier than expected. He was originally set to receive his promotion in September later this year.
The elite soldier title allows Jin to have several perks, such as wearing a special emblem on uniforms, getting promoted earlier than their peers, and being allowed to take extra leaves of four to five days. Moreover, if their shooting scores are outstanding, they may earn additional rewards related to shooting.
The artist has also teased his bandmate J-Hope, who joined the military after him, regarding his achievement.
"If you don't get the elite soldier (title), you will be the disgrace of BTS," his translated message read, according to The Korean Herald.
Jin entered the recruit training center in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province on Dec. 13, 2022, as part of his mandatory military service. His discharge date is on June 12, 2024.