South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said on Oct. 6 that it is considering tightening or even abolishing the military service exemption system for athletes and artists, after some Asian Games gold medalists sparked controversy by saying that avoiding military service mattered more than winning gold.
In the men's football final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on Oct. 3, South Korea beat Japan 1-0 to win gold. Under relevant South Korean rules, 20 of the 23 squad members became eligible for military service exemption, allowing them to replace military service with basic military training and community service. After the victory, some players said in media interviews that they cared more about whether they could avoid military service than about the gold medal or trophy, triggering strong public dissatisfaction and controversy over the fairness of the exemption system.
A Defense Ministry spokesperson said at a regular press briefing on Oct. 6 that the ministry regrets the inappropriate remarks by some people in the sports community and hopes that active-duty service members and reservists receive public respect. She said the ministry will comprehensively consider factors including fairness, the declining number of people available for military service, and public consensus, and plans to eventually tighten or abolish the military service exemption system for athletes and artists.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea has a compulsory military service system under which all healthy adult men must serve 18 to 21 months. However, artists and athletes who win top awards in government-designated domestic and international competitions can mostly be exempted from military service.
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