WINNER member Song Min Ho denied allegations that he worked with his former social service supervisor to avoid his duties, saying his absences were not the result of a planned agreement. He admitted having a personal relationship with the supervisor but insisted that there was no conspiracy involved.
Song Min Ho appeared as a witness on July 14 at the third hearing of former service supervisor Lee, who is facing charges related to allegedly helping Song violate the Military Service Act.
The hearing was held at the Seoul Western District Court and focused on whether Lee knowingly allowed or arranged Song’s reported absences.
Song served as a social service worker from March 2023 to December 2024 at the Mapo District Facilities Management Corporation and a public welfare facility in Seoul. Prosecutors claim he was absent without approval for 102 out of around 430 scheduled workdays, according to AllKpop.
During his testimony, Song rejected claims that he and Lee discussed avoiding service duties in advance. He explained that Lee was aware of his health struggles and often showed concern for his condition.
“As the supervisor in charge during my service, he knew my health condition very well and often expressed concern about it,” Song said.
Song also acknowledged that Lee had told him he could rest at home when his health became worse. However, he said the comments were made out of concern and were not instructions to skip work.
“It was simply a considerate remark reflecting concern for my health. There was never any prior conspiracy or instruction to evade service,” Song stated.
Song Min Ho Takes Responsibility
The singer also accepted responsibility for his own actions, saying that some days he was unable to attend work because of health issues.
“There were days when I genuinely could not report for duty due to health issues, and I take full responsibility for that,” he said, per ChosunBiz.
Prosecutors questioned Song about attendance records that showed some documents were completed later instead of on the actual service dates.
Song said he normally recorded his arrival and departure times but admitted that some service logs were filled out in batches because his condition made it difficult to complete them immediately. He denied intentionally creating false records and said he was not familiar with how internal administrative procedures were handled.
The hearing also examined Song’s personal connection with Lee. Song admitted that he had helped provide career advice for Lee’s child, lent money to Lee, and spent time together fishing.
Prosecutors questioned whether the relationship affected how his service duties were managed. Song denied receiving special treatment, saying the interactions were based on friendship rather than an exchange for benefits.
“These were simply actions that arose from a personal friendship and had nothing to do with service absences or receiving special treatment,” he said.