President Yoon visits BTS leader's Army unit to encourage soldiers on Chuseok holiday

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday visited the 15th Infantry Division of the Army, where boy band BTS leader RM is currently serving as part of the military band, to encourage soldiers during the Chuseok holiday.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, poses for a picture with soldiers on Tuesday, at the 15th Infantry Division in Gangwon. Second row, third from right, RM of BTS is seen clapping. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday visited the 15th Infantry Division of the Army, where boy band BTS leader RM is currently serving as part of the military band, to encourage soldiers during the Chuseok holiday.

Yoon visited the Army division in Gangwon on Chuseok to “inspect the emergency medical system of the medical battalion and encourage soldiers to maintain military readiness during the holiday,” according to the presidential office.

Yoon visited the division's medical battalion, the first in the Army to provide medical services to both military families and local civilians. Since being registered as a medical institution in May, the medical battalion has been offering services to residents in medically underserved areas.

After receiving a briefing from division commander Kang Hyun-woo about the medical battalion, Yoon greeted residents of Hwacheon County and military families and toured the battalion quarters. Yoon then moved on to the 15th Division Headquarters, where he instructed the division commanders to "respond immediately and overwhelmingly to enemy provocations, following the principle of 'act first, report later,' and completely crush the enemy’s will."

Yoon presented 1,000 sets of songpyeon, Korean rice cakes, to the division and took a commemorative photo with about 500 soldiers.

In attendance was RM, whose legal name is Kim Nam-joon, leader of the group BTS, who donated 100 million won ($75,390) last Thursday to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs' campaign supporting people of national merit alongside bereaved families of uniformed service members. Kim enlisted as an active-duty soldier in December last year.

During this visit, RM only appeared once in the group photo with Yoon and the soldiers. He did not attend meetings or appear in photos shaking hands with the president.

"National defense and security are the most important functions of the state, and the national economy can only stand firm on the foundation of national security," said Yoon on Tuesday. "You serve as the backbone of our country's economy," he said, addressing the soldiers in attendance.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]