"To avoid military service": 'Military service exemption' controversy rages even after gold medal win... Ruling and opposition parties say, "It needs an overhaul"

[Financial News] The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are expected to trigger discussions in political circles about reforming military service exemptions for the arts and sports. Some members of the gold medal-winning football team faced public criticism after making remarks to the effect that they had "played to avoid military service." A growing consensus is emerging among lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties, with calls to abolish or review the military service exemption system.
According to political circles on the 5th, calls continue to overhaul military service exemptions for the arts and sports. The controversy erupted after the South Korea national under-23 football team defeated Japan 1–0 in the final on the 3rd. Captain Lee Gi-hyuk said in an interview, "I'm not going to the military," while Yang Min-hyeok said, "The medal and trophy were not important. Since military service exemption was the reward, I played the game focusing solely on that." Park Seung-soo posted a photo of himself wearing a military discharge cap in the locker room on social media, prompting repeated criticism that it was disrespectful to soldiers.
Political figures also voiced criticism of the players' conduct immediately after they won the gold medal. Kim Byung-joo, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, special presidential adviser for defense policy and former four-star general, said on Maeil Broadcasting Network (MBN)'s "Jung Woon-gap’s In-Depth Analysis" on the 4th, "It is absolutely necessary to overhaul the military service exemption system for arts and sports personnel." Jeong Il-young also wrote on social media, "Celebrating the gold medal and military service exemption are separate issues," adding, "As times have changed, the standards should change as well."
Under the current Military Service Act, individuals with special talents who have contributed to enhancing national prestige and advancing culture may perform alternative service as arts and sports personnel in lieu of military service. At the Olympics, the exemption is granted to medalists who win a bronze medal or higher, while at the Asian Games, it is limited to gold medalists. The system was introduced in 1973 to encourage achievements in international sporting competitions. In the case of the Asian Games, however, critics say it has degenerated into a "gateway to military service exemption" for current athletes.
Calls to reform the current military service exemption system have also come from the People Power Party. Senior spokesperson Park Sung-hoon said on the 5th, "Allowing athletes who achieve strong results to receive military service exemptions is an institutional consideration for bringing honor to the country," but he cautioned, "If they take it for granted as an entitlement or use it as a means of making fun of someone, it will no longer bring honor to the country and will only hurt the public." Lawmaker Na Kyung-won stated, "BTS also fulfilled its military service obligations. The public cannot be persuaded by the justification of enhancing national prestige alone," adding, "Military service exemptions for sports and the arts now need to be reconsidered." Lawmaker Joo Jin-woo argued, "Those who do not understand the weight of wearing the national team badge are not qualified to represent the country," and added, "We should consider stripping them of their national team status and fully revoking their military service exemptions and pensions awarded for winning a gold medal."
The key question is whether the controversy over military service exemptions at these Asian Games will lead to an actual amendment of the law. This is not the first controversy over military service exemptions at the Asian Games, but no previous case has led to a full-scale legislative amendment. Exemptions for sports personnel are stipulated under the Military Service Act, which can be amended by the National Assembly, or the government can revise the Act's enforcement decree. Some observers also say that public discussion is necessary because military service is a particularly sensitive issue for the public.
[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter