BTS leader RM donated **100 million Korean won (about $70,000 USD)** last year to support uniformed service members such as soldiers, police officers, and firefighters through the South Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. This generous act inspired the government to raise **around 1 billion won (about $700,000 USD)** more in donations from the public. However, a recent investigation revealed that due to a government system where all donations are pooled into one National Merit Support Account, authorities **cannot verify how RM's donation or the additional funds were spent or allocated** specifically for the intended beneficiaries. This lack of transparency has sparked *outrage* among BTS fans (ARMY) and the public, who criticize the government for poor accountability and potential mismanagement of donations meant to honor and aid veterans and uniformed workers. RM had explicitly intended his donation to assist discharged soldiers and other service members, but current regulations prevent tracking specific uses of the funds, leaving the ultimate impact unclear[1][3][5][9][11]. In summary: - RM donated 100 million won to help uniformed service members. - The Ministry promoted his donation and raised 1 billion won total. - All funds are merged in one account, making it impossible to track spending. - Fans and the public express frustration at the lack of transparency and accountability. This controversy exposes broader systemic issues in donation management within the South Korean government's veterans' support framework despite RM's well-intended philanthropy[1][3][7][9].
Citations
1.https://poprant.indiatimes.com/asian-dramas-kpop/bts-rms-100m-won-donation-vanishes-south-korean-ministry-says-they-dont-know-where-they-spent-it-sparking-fury-among-army-673370.html
2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philanthropy_of_BTS
3.https://www.koreaboo.com/news/1-billion-won-missing-bts-rm-contribution-uniformed-officers-reportedly-unaccounted/
4.https://indigomusic.com/feature/bts-biggest-acts-of-generosity-million-dollar-donations-and-kindness
5.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CXhpK5d_Cg
6.https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/bts-controversy
7.https://hauterrfly.com/entertainment/k-pop-bts-rm-1-b-krw-donation-uniformed-officers-lost-fans-furious/
8.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gka15nk9F0A
9.https://www.allkpop.com/article/2025/10/bts-leader-rms-donation-sparks-1-billion-krw-about-703000-usd-in-contributions-but-ministry-of-patriots-unable-to-track-spending
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Citations
1.https://poprant.indiatimes.com/asian-dramas-kpop/bts-rms-100m-won-donation-vanishes-south-korean-ministry-says-they-dont-know-where-they-spent-it-sparking-fury-among-army-673370.html
2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philanthropy_of_BTS
3.https://www.koreaboo.com/news/1-billion-won-missing-bts-rm-contribution-uniformed-officers-reportedly-unaccounted/
4.https://indigomusic.com/feature/bts-biggest-acts-of-generosity-million-dollar-donations-and-kindness
5.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CXhpK5d_Cg
6.https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/bts-controversy
7.https://hauterrfly.com/entertainment/k-pop-bts-rm-1-b-krw-donation-uniformed-officers-lost-fans-furious/
8.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gka15nk9F0A
9.https://www.allkpop.com/article/2025/10/bts-leader-rms-donation-sparks-1-billion-krw-about-703000-usd-in-contributions-but-ministry-of-patriots-unable-to-track-spending
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