Actor Na In-woo "Difficult to disclose military exemption reason... Please see me as I am"

Ninewoo "I am the one who chose silence"

Actor Na In-woo (30), who was classified as Grade 4 supplementary service and later exempted from military service, has expressed his position on the military service controversy.

On the 9th, Na In-woo attended the production presentation for MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Motel California' held at the MBC building in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. When asked about his military exemption, he said, "First of all, I want to apologize to our drama team, director, and colleagues for having to address such a question in this setting."

Actor Na In-woo is answering a question about military exemption at the production presentation of MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Motel California' held on the afternoon of the 9th at MBC Golden Mouse Hall in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

He said, "The first article came out during filming, and I received the news right after finishing shooting while I was in a state of confusion. Since it was a sensitive issue, I had to make a quick decision, and ultimately, it was my choice to remain silent." He continued, "One of the reasons many people watch and like me is because of my bright and energetic image. No matter how much pain or hardship I was going through, I couldn't bring myself to show that side, so I tried even harder to appear cheerful."

However, Na In-woo added, "I find it difficult to disclose personal reasons or the name of the illness," but also said, "I spoke honestly because I hope people will see me as I truly am."

Previously, it was revealed that Na In-woo was classified as Grade 4 supplementary service and was waiting to be called up as a social service agent before ultimately being exempted from military service. According to the Military Service Act, if a person classified as Grade 4 supplementary service is not called up within three years, they are exempted from military service. Since 2019, more than 10,000 people each year have been exempted for this reason. However, Na In-woo has not disclosed the reason for his Grade 4 classification, which has sparked various suspicions.

Meanwhile, under the Military Service Act, those who receive physical examination results from Grade 1 to Grade 3 are enlisted for active duty. Grade 4 is classified as supplementary service, and according to the revised Military Service Act, from October 2021, those classified as Grade 4 can serve active duty if they wish.