Actor Joins Air Force

Zo In-sung

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Actor Zo In-sung entered a training program Monday before joining the South Korean Air Force in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.

The star of ``A Frozen Flower'' appeared before the press sporting a short haircut and wearing black sportswear. Some 200 reporters and 300 fans, including over 100 Japanese women, crowded the venue.

``I'm not the only one entering the military, and so many fans have come to support me,'' he said. ``I apologize for inconveniencing others by becoming a soldier. I'm actually feeling much more at ease now that military service has become a reality. I sincerely thank everyone who came today and I will come back after doing my best in the military''

The 27-year-old entered a weeklong session, including physical exams, a personality test and other formal procedures. Afterward, he will participate in a five-week preliminary training program before entering the Air Force for a 25-month stint of service. South Korean men are obligated to complete a mandatory two-year period of military service before the age of 29.

The actor qualified for the Air Force last November as a soldier specializing in military music. Zo is said to have often expressed his wish to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was an Air Force officer.

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr