[Dispatch=Reporter Minji Koo] "I'm not going to the military!"

The men's soccer team at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games won the gold medal. They defeated Japan and achieved four consecutive championships at the Games. However, "military service" received greater emphasis than the gold medal victory.

For Lee Ki-hyuk, the "military service benefits" took precedence over the weight of the captain's armband. As he lifted the gold medal, he shouted "I'm not going to the military." Yang Min-hyuk was more direct. "It seems I played the game looking only at the reward of military exemption," he said.

The controversy did not end there. It continued from a photo wearing a military demining helmet to the action of limping and taking out the gold medal from his shoe. There was also criticism that it evoked images of soldiers injured in mine accidents.

Apart from the gold medal achievement, questions were raised about whether the remarks and actions emphasizing military service immediately after the victory were appropriate. At the same time, attention was drawn again to the military service benefits of the gold medal.

The gold medal military service benefit is enlistment as an art and sports personnel. First place at the Asian Games qualifies for art and sports personnel status. They serve for 34 months in the relevant field and complete 544 hours of specialized volunteer service activities.

This benefit was also a major topic of interest at the 2018 Jakarta·Palembang Asian Games. At that time, Son Heung-min's club was in the EPL Tottenham Hotspur. As he joined via wildcard, attention turned to the military service issue.

South Korea defeated Japan in the final back then as well. Son Heung-min also became eligible for enlistment as an art and sports personnel along with the gold medal. However, the first thing he mentioned after winning was not military service.

Son Heung-min said, "Thanks to the support of the people, we were able to win the gold medal. Though I am wearing the gold medal, I believe it belongs to the people." He urged his junior players, "Don't be satisfied with winning the gold medal. Sacrifice for Korean football going forward."

The controversy spread to political circles as well. Both ruling and opposition parties raised voices that the current military service exemption system needs to be reviewed, separate from the athletes' remarks and actions.

Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party mentioned the need to reorganize the system, noting that unlike in 1973, military service resources are decreasing and the scope of national prestige has broadened. Rather than complete abolition, he proposed a plan to gradually reduce the targets and benefits of exemptions.

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party pointed out, "The problem is not the players but an outdated system." She argued that the qualifying competitions and events for exemptions should be redetermined, and alternatives that allow athletes to continue their careers while serving in the military, such as the Army Sports Unit, should be expanded.

Park Sung-hoon, the People Power Party's senior spokesperson, also stated that rather than unconditional abolition or maintenance, standards should be redesigned considering the competitive level of each sport and international standing.

The controversy that began with the athletes' words and actions has spread to the military service exemption system. Questions have also surfaced about whether the system introduced in 1973 needs to be adjusted to fit the current environment.

<Photo sources=SNS, broadcast capture>