South Korea’s men’s football captain Lee Gi-hyuk apologises after comments suggesting he would not have to do military service. After South Korea defeats hosts Japan 1-0 in the Asian Games final on Saturday in Toyota near Nagoya, Lee smiles while holding up his gold medal and tells reporters, “I’m not going to the military.”
Across outlets, the main context is that South Korea generally requires able-bodied men to complete military service for 18 months to two years before age 28. The government grants exemptions for athletes who win Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour, typically allowing them to complete only brief basic training. Several reports describe the remark as sensitive and note that athletes often avoid discussing exemptions.
Outlets agree Lee’s apology comes shortly after the match. Korea Times adds that Lee says he was “caught up in the happiness” and apologises for being thoughtless and for his behaviour as captain and player, publishing his remarks via Instagram. Other reports focus more narrowly on the apology and the military exemption comment, without additional detail on the athlete’s statement.
