{
  "id": 11201893,
  "title": "He is the PGA Tour winner who was forced to do Korean military service as Tom Kim looks to avoid the same fate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/he-is-the-pga-tour-winner-who-was-forced-to-do-korean-military",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-01T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/pga-tour-winner-forced-korean-133000233.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tom Kim, a prominent golfer on the PGA Tour, is currently participating in the Asian Games in a bid to avoid mandatory military service, as required by South Korean law for all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28, regardless of their profession. The exemption from military service is granted to athletes who accomplish certain prestigious milestones, such as winning an Olympic medal or a gold medal at the Asian Games. Kim is determined to secure such a victory, as it would protect his career from the disruption that military service inevitably brings.\n\nUnfortunately, not all athletes are as fortunate. The story of Bae Sang-moon serves as a cautionary tale. Bae, a highly skilled golfer, reached the pinnacle of his career on the PGA Tour in 2015, having already secured two victories and ranking within the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings. However, Bae's dream of continuing his professional career was abruptly halted when he was forced to complete mandatory military service.\n\nBae's military obligation came to fruition in 2015, despite his best efforts to evade it. While he made attempts to avoid the service, the South Korean government's law dictated that he must serve for 18 to 21 months before turning 28. Consequently, Bae's absence from the golf scene for two years significantly impacted his performance. By the time he returned to the PGA Tour in late 2017, his world ranking had plummeted to an unenviable 1,869th position. Bae confessed that although he retained his ability to swing a club, he had lost the essential feel and rhythm of competitive golf during his time in the military.\n\nAlthough Bae managed to salvage some of his former glory by winning on the Korn Ferry Tour, his PGA Tour card was eventually revoked. This unfortunate incident highlights the potential consequences for athletes like Tom Kim who aspire to circumvent the same fate as Bae.",
  "summary": "Tom Kim is currently competing at the Asian Games in hopes of avoiding military service. Under South Korean Law, all able-bodied men must complete 18 to 21 months of mandatory military service before turning 28.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}