Marine Corps Mulls Sending Hyun Bin to Indonesia as Defense Envoy

Korean drama star Hyun Bin may visit Indonesia next month to support the export of defense industry products as part of his two-year-long stint in the Marine Corps.

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The 29-year-old model and actor, who is now serving his mandatory military service, apparently cannot escape his transnational appeal and may be heading overseas in an unofficial ambassadorial role.

"The Indonesian government invited Hyun Bin to the nation's Armed Forces Day ceremonies from Oct. 4 to 7, and the Ministry of National Defense is considering sending him to Indonesia", an officer of the Marine Corps said.

"As Hyun Bin is very popular in Indonesia because of the drama "Secret Garden", the Indonesian government asked that he be sent there to visit a Marine Corps unit and attend the special ceremonies", a Defense Ministry official said.

The official added that the ministry is considering sending him as a special envoy for defense-related exchanges and bilateral cooperation in the defense industry.

"Since Indonesia decided to import [some of our] T-50 supersonic trainer jets last May, and it has tentatively decided to purchase submarines as well, it is beginning to account for a greater portion of our defense industry. So we are pushing ahead with the plan", a spokesman for the military said.

Hyun, who joined the Marine Corps last March, is serving as a combat infantryman in the 6th brigade on Baeknyeong Island. The Corps is now considering reassigning him to a public relations unit.