South Korea soccer players’ boasts spark rethink of military service exemptions

South Korean authorities are reconsidering a decades-old system of military service exemptions for athletes following a public backlash. The exemptions were originally designed to reward those who bring prestige to the nation, but recent celebrations by gold medal-winning footballers have sparked controversy. Following a victory over Japan in the Asian Games men's final, captain Lee Gi-hyuk stated he would not have to go to the military, noting he would have reported for duty just nine days later had his team lost.

Additionally, a video of 19-year-old Park Seung-soo wearing a military discharge cap fueled the outcry. Both players have since apologized.

The behavior of these players stands in contrast to the cautious approach typically taken by South Korean athletes regarding this sensitive subject. The Japan Times notes that athletes have previously spoken cautiously about the exemptions in a country where most young men are required to serve. This measured approach was demonstrated by former Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, who earned an exemption after the 2018 Asian Games and stated that he and his team focused on winning the tournament rather than thinking about the exemption.

Brief written by urgent.news from Japan Times, New Straits Times, Times of India — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.