(Nagoya = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Song-ah = Even before the joy of winning the men's soccer gold medal for the fourth time in a row at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has subsided, the national team is inviting criticism due to some players' careless words and actions regarding military service benefits accompanying the gold medal.
The under-23 (U-23) soccer team led by coach Lee Min-seong won 1-0 in the final against Japan held at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan on the 3rd thanks to Uhm Sung (Swansea City)'s winning goal in the second half, extending the streak of men's soccer gold medals in the Asian Games to four, dating back to the 2014 Incheon Games.
The national team, which continued its great history with a dramatic victory over Korea and Japan, finished the competition with applause. However, comments and social media (SNS) posts by some players boasting about military service benefits or openly expressing their feelings that they 'didn't want to go to the military' caused controversy, tarnishing their achievements.
Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), who was the captain of this team, said in a broadcast interview after winning the gold medal, "If I didn't win the gold medal, I would have to return to Korea and have 9 days left before enlistment. It was an important competition for the players to be exempted from military service, but for me, it was especially realistically right around the corner. I was desperate and desperate. My heart was heavy, but it was meaningful to have my burden lifted."
He then said, โIโm not going to the military,โ and held up the gold medal with a bright smile.
Yang Min-hyuk (Westerlo), who also played as a starter in the Japan match, said, "I didn't think medals or trophies were important. There was a reward called military exemption (military service benefits), so I think I played with that in mind."
Park Seung-soo of Newcastle in the English Premier League (EPL) posted a photo wearing a 'military cap' on social media after winning the gold medal, which also heightened controversy.
Prior to them, Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha), the captain of the baseball team who also won the Asian Games gold medal, caused public outrage by saying, "I think the result of a gold medal is more important than the process."
Military service benefits based on performance in international sports competitions are an issue that can be an important variable in the future activities of athletes representing the country.
It is possible to feel happy and proud of the benefits obtained by competing on the international stage, but there is criticism that it has gone too far to 'tool' the military service benefits themselves and to play for the country.
Moreover, soccer and baseball, which achieved 4th and 5th consecutive Asian Games wins respectively, are sports in which only Korea participates with a lot of effort in team composition due to the special benefits of military service, and questions have been raised about fairness.
In baseball, the team was caught off guard by Japan, which was made up of players from society, and in soccer, it won the gold medal after a struggle against Japan, which had only players under the age of 21.
In response to the players' words and actions, politicians in the political world also criticized whether military service obligations were being taken lightly, and questions were raised about the need for military service benefits.
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party said on Facebook, โIs the military a hateful facility, a place where people cannot go, and are all the countless young people who enlist every year just fagots?โ and โIt is so devastating that the consciousness of the players who play with the Taegeuk symbol as national representatives is at this level.โ
Rep. Ahn added, "The military exemption from the Asian Games must now be reconsidered. Aren't there many athletes who have won and won gold medals even without an exemption?"
As the controversy grew, players apologized one after another.
Lee Ki-hyuk returned to Incheon International Airport with the national team on the 4th and apologized when meeting reporters, saying, "As the captain, I should have thought about the weight of my words before speaking. I did not take the duty of national defense easily or lightly."
Yang Min-hyuk also posted on social media, saying, "It was misrepresented that military service benefits were one of the many motivations I could have had to achieve better results," and added, "I sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt and disappointed by my careless remarks."
Park Seung-soo also took down the photo and explained, "Right after the game ended, I received a hat given to me by a fan on the field and wore it. The joy and overwhelming feeling of winning the gold medal was so great that I uploaded the photo without thinking deeply about the meaning of the hat at that moment." He added, "I had no intention of ridiculing those who were performing their national defense duties or belittling their hard work."
The Korea Football Association also took action, saying, "We deeply apologize for causing disappointment and hurt to many citizens and active-duty soldiers through the careless words and actions of some players and interviews."
The association added, "The players are deeply grateful for the benefits gained as a result of this, and will faithfully fulfill the responsibilities given to arts and sports personnel in the future," and added, "We will strengthen national team knowledge and ethics education and strive to manage the players' behavior that does not deviate from national sentiment and social standards."
President Yoo Seung-min of the Korea Sports Council said at the Asian Games closing press conference that day, "We have provided a lot of training starting with interview skills through knowledge training, but it is difficult to control the remarks of all players. In some ways, these are remarks that do not fit the public sentiment. We will look for ways to have dignity in expression as a national team player."
Accordingly, it is true that the Football Association or the Sports Council, as the management body of the national team, must pay attention to the words and actions of the players, but some say that the problem is the fact that those who are already adults and 'professional players' in name are not aware of the problem until it becomes controversial, and that the association or the Sports Council must educate them about words and actions that are considered basic common sense.
