Request for Cha Eunwoo of ASTRO’s Military Reassignment Submitted
Cha Eunwoo is facing fresh controversy amid his ₩20 billion KRW ($14M USD) tax evasion scandal.
The idol and actor, currently serving in the military band, is now under scrutiny from inside the military. A whistleblower filed a petition on June 28 asking the Ministry of National Defense to review Cha Eunwoo’s (real name Lee Dong Min) suitability for the military band.
The petition argues this scandal could hurt the military’s reputation and soldier morale. It demands a reconsideration of his posting due to the high-profile nature of the military band’s work.
“According to Article 317, Paragraph 1 of the Unit Management Regulations (Support for the Ministry of National Defense Honor Guard and Military Band), priority is given to supporting government-sponsored central events. Paragraph 2 states that the military band supports national holiday celebrations, presidential inauguration ceremonies, presidential-related events (including foreign visits, airport send-offs and welcomes, official receptions and see-offs for foreign dignitaries), various legally designated memorial days, commemorative events related to key government policies reported at cabinet meetings, international events held domestically (upon request), traditional ceremonies sponsored by the government (upon request), and state funerals, meaning it is highly visible and symbolic externally.”
The whistleblower also said:
“While the substance of this matter will ultimately be resolved through procedures involving relevant agencies, the scale and impact of the controversy are already considerable. This risks causing relative deprivation among soldiers and damaging trust in the fairness and integrity of the military organization. For this reason, military band postings, given their nature, require a higher level of suitability assessment and risk management from the perspectives of external trust, representation, and soldier morale than general assignments.”
A recorded conversation with the Ministry’s online petition officer was shared. The officer said:
“They designated the unit’s inspection office as the department in charge of handling the case and said that an investigation or fact-finding measures would be taken if necessary. They indicated that after assessing the facts and necessity, a response or action would follow.”
The military is now treating this incident seriously and could take action after investigations.
The scandal continues to shake Cha Eunwoo’s career, with industry ties starting to dissolve amid this controversy.
Watch: Cha Eunwoo’s recent military band performance
For ongoing updates and detailed timeline, see Cha Eunwoo’s Tax Evasion Scandal Coverage.