Jin Jong-oh, who completed his full term of military service, says: “We should consider gold-medal rewards for female athletes with no military service obligation”
- Input
- 2026-10-08 08:00:36
- Updated
- 2026-10-08 08:00:36
Political sources said on the 7th that Rep. Jin had written on social media the previous day about the conduct and remarks of some national team members, which recently prompted calls to revise the military service exemption system: “If you’re a member of the national team, you should understand the weight of wearing the Taegeuk mark, and if you’ve done something wrong, you should apologize properly.”
He noted, however, that “an individual athlete’s wrongdoing and the value of a gold medal are separate matters,” adding, “We should call out wrongdoing, but we shouldn’t disparage the achievement as well.”
He stressed, “The value of a gold medal and the weight of wearing the Taegeuk mark are no different for men and women. If male athletes receive military service benefits, we should also consider rewards commensurate with the achievements of female athletes, who have no military service obligation, when they represent their country.”
On the military service exemption system, he said, “Whether to retain or change it can be decided through public debate,” adding, “I hope this controversy will provide an opportunity for a broader discussion.”
Rep. Jin, a former member of South Korea’s national shooting team, won multiple medals at the Olympics and Asian Games, among other competitions. However, he had already completed his full term of military service and been discharged six months before winning his first Olympic medal, so he did not actually receive military service benefits.
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