“Get rid of every last military exemption”—uproar at National Assembly audit; Chairman Yoo Seung-min: “We must tread carefully before depriving amateurs of opportunities”

[Financial News] The controversy over abolishing military-service benefits, which has swept through the sports world since the 2026 Aichi Prefecture-Nagoya Asian Games, has now come under scrutiny at a National Assembly audit. Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Chairman Yoo Seung-min took a cautious stance on calls to end military-exemption benefits, sparked by controversies over the conduct of some professional athletes, saying, “We must improve the system while ensuring that the voices of amateur athletes, earned through blood and sweat, are also reflected.”
Chairman Yoo gave this answer on the 21st, appearing at a National Assembly audit by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee to respond to questions about military-service benefits from Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Im O-kyung.
At the audit that day, Im sharply criticized the lackluster conduct of some professional athletes who competed at the Asian Games and their weak sense of responsibility as national team members. She named Yang Min-hyeok, Park Seung-su and Lee Gi-hyeok, criticizing inappropriate remarks about conduct and military service that came to light during the Games. She also took issue with the performance of the national baseball team, which suffered a stunningly lopsided defeat to a Japanese corporate baseball team.
Im pointed out that the character education provided when athletes are called up to the national team amounts to little more than online lectures or perfunctory signatures, and that there are no penalties for those who fail to complete it.
She went on to bluntly declare, “Amateur athletes who have trained for years to earn a place on the national team feel deeply aggrieved by the conduct of some professional athletes. Military exemptions for the Asian Games should rightly be abolished, and the chance to compete should go to second- and third-division league players instead of professionals.”
In response, Chairman Yoo acknowledged some shortcomings in the committee’s oversight, saying, “It is true that there have been some limitations on ethics and character education in sports such as soccer and baseball, where athletes do not stay at the national training center.”
But he drew a firm line against completely abolishing military-service benefits for the Asian Games.
Chairman Yoo stressed, “I fully agree that the military-service benefit system needs to be improved overall. But although this situation arose because of problems involving some professional athletes, we must approach the matter with great caution if it means depriving other amateur athletes, who have quietly worked hard, of their eligibility and opportunities.”
In other words, we must not burn down the whole house to catch a bedbug.
Meanwhile, Im strongly urged the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee to convene its ethics committee immediately and the relevant sports governing bodies for the players embroiled in controversy to begin disciplinary proceedings. Chairman Yoo affirmed, “I will do so,” and signaled that thorough follow-up measures would be taken.

[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter