Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon proposed that the government allow the members of K-pop superband BTS to supplant their obligatory military service with their current role as ambassadors for the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo.

According to the Busan city government on Thursday, the mayor asked the presidential office to grant BTS eligibility for the alternative to military service offered to athletes and artists whose efforts elevated the nation’s global prestige or advanced the culture.

Park expressed hope that the global superstars' active public relations campaign would help Busan gain the upper hand in the tight competition to host the international event against Saudi Arabia.

The mayor of the nation’s second-largest city said the proposal would not be considered a preferential treatment as the seven members would be given a national responsibility comparable to military service and are expected to serve the nation in their unique capacity.

Under the current laws, Olympic medalists and international award-winning classical musicians are granted exemptions from mandatory military service and are instead tasked with serving the nation in their comparative fields during the period. 

A bill aimed at providing such a chance for pop artists considered to have made similar national contributions is pending at the National Assembly.