South Korea's Ministry of National Defence is reviewing plans to completely abolish special sports exemptions from military service. This process may be accelerated following public comments made by footballers Lee Gi-hyuk, Yang Min-hyuk, and Park Seung-soo after their Asian Games gold medal victory.
Captain Lee Gi-hyuk publicly stated that their win meant he could not be drafted for military service, a sentiment echoed by teammates Yang Min-hyuk (of Tottenham) and Park Seung-soo (of Newcastle). Their exemption was granted under a government promise offering podium-toppers a pass from 18 to 21 months of obligatory service, which must be completed before age 35.
Lee later apologised, stating, "I got caught up in the happiness, adrenaline and excitement of the moment." He added, "I am deeply sorry to the fans who are currently fulfilling their military duty, as well as to all those who sincerely supported us."
A military official stated, "Ultimately, we have plans to cut back or scrap the supplementary service, including one designed for artists and athletes, and reflect it in the basic outline for defence reforms." Despite their exemption from full service, the gold medallists will still need to complete three weeks of basic training and 544 hours of community service.