WINNER’s Song Mino is headed to court. Accused of neglecting his duties and skipping work without authorization while serving as a social service worker, his first hearing is scheduled for March 24 at the Seoul Western District Court (Criminal Single Judge Division 10).
According to legal and investigative sources on the 30th, Song allegedly failed to properly fulfill his service obligations—leaving his post without valid reasons and failing to adhere to designated start times—while assigned to a community facility in Mapo-gu, Seoul, from March 2023 to December 2024. The supervisor in charge, identified as “A,” will also stand trial for allegedly neglecting oversight duties despite being aware of Song’s reported misconduct.
The case escalated after the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) flagged Song’s frequent sick leave requests and poor attendance, prompting a police investigation. Authorities conducted search and seizure operations at the Mapo Community Convenience Facility and Song’s residence to secure CCTV footage, and carried out an extensive review of call logs, mobile phone forensic data, and GPS records to verify the allegations. On December 30 of last year, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Song and “A” without detention for alleged violations of the Military Service Act, reportedly confirming additional unexcused absences not identified in earlier investigations.
During the initial stages of questioning, Song reportedly denied the allegations, stating, “I followed the rules” and “There were no issues with my service.” However, during a third round of questioning, he is said to have acknowledged most of the claims, including leaving his assigned post without permission. Meanwhile, in response to speculation among fans that he could be reassigned to active-duty military service, legal experts clarified, “Under current law, individuals who have already completed supplementary service cannot be ordered to re-enlist for active duty.”
Song officially completed his social service on December 23, 2024. However, following the emergence of the lax service allegations, the MMA stated, “If negligence is confirmed, the discharge may be revoked, and the individual may be required to perform additional service equivalent to the period improperly served.” Attention is also focused on the agency’s push to introduce an electronic attendance management system to strengthen oversight of social service workers.
Meanwhile, WINNER confirmed plans for a three-member comeback without Song following their full-group concert in May last year. Public disappointment has grown, particularly given that member Kang Seung Yoon completed his active-duty military service around the same time without any controversy.
As defendants are required to attend their first court hearing, Song will be obligated to appear in court in March. Fans and industry insiders alike are watching closely to see how he responds—and how the trial may affect his future activities.