If BTS has to serve, why are South Korean sportsmen, artists exempt: ex-lawmaker

A former South Korean lawmaker has called for the abolition of the military exemption system granted to outstanding national athletes, arguing that military service should not be used as an incentive for achievements in sports or the arts.

Yoo Seong-min’s remarks came amid controversy over comments made by members of South Korea’s men’s football team, who recently won its fourth consecutive Asian Games title, regarding the military benefits they received.

South Korea defeated host Japan 1-0 on Saturday in the men’s final in Toyota, near Nagoya. Afterwards, the team’s captain, Lee Gi-hyuk, smiled as he held up his gold medal to reporters and said: “I’m not going to the military.”

Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to perform between 18 months and two years of military service before the age of 28.

But the government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with an exemption, meaning they will carry out just weeks of light basic training instead.

Exemptions are a sensitive topic in South Korea, and athletes usually shy away from talking about it.

The 26-year-old Lee, a defender who plays in the domestic K League, apologised on Sunday for “the thoughtless remarks I made and the way I behaved after the match, things I should not have said or done, both as captain and as a player”.

In a social media statement, he said he was “caught up in the happiness, adrenaline and excitement of the moment”.

“I am deeply sorry to the fans who are currently fulfilling their military duty, as well as to all those who sincerely supported us,” he said.

“As an adult I should have thought carefully before speaking. I deeply regret having spoken so carelessly, and I will continue to reflect on my actions. I sincerely apologise to all the fans who have supported us wholeheartedly and who are doing their utmost to fulfil their military duty.”

Asian Games football is contested between under-23 squads, but three overage players are allowed.

The golfer Tom Kim also earned a military exemption after winning gold at the Asian Games on Saturday.

Yoo called for the abolition of all military exemption criteria for athletes and artists in a social media post on Sunday.

“The flippant remarks and behaviour of football and baseball players who won gold medals at the Asian Games over military exemption have provoked resentment among many people,” he said.

He stressed, however, that the issue should not be reduced to criticism of individual players.

“Basically, this is a matter of principles and a matter of the system concerning military exemptions. It would be right to abolish all military exemption criteria in sports and the arts altogether,” he said.

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“Looking solely at the effect of enhancing national prestige, there are few young people who have done as much as BTS. Is it really fair that BTS has to serve in the military while Asian Games gold medallists are exempt?”

He argued that “the idea of promoting sports and the arts through military exemption as an incentive is itself outdated” and that it amounted to the state itself recognising the nation’s military service duty as something to be avoided.

Yoo also pointed to the continuing controversy over fairness in determining who qualifies for military exemptions.

“Even with the same gold medal, controversy over fairness will not disappear regardless of where the line is drawn – whether exemptions should apply to the Olympics, the World Cup or the Asian Games, why silver and bronze medallists should not qualify when gold medallists do, or how far exemptions should extend to the numerous domestic and international competitions in the arts,” he said.

“The development of sports and the arts can be supported in many other ways. Outstanding athletes and artists may receive appropriate rewards for their achievements, but it is difficult to justify using military service itself as a form of reward.”

He added that fairness and equality in military service were “of utmost importance” in South Korea. “Rather than continuing to adjust the line between who qualifies for military benefits and who does not, we should now eliminate the line itself.”