South Korea's Asian Games football gold overshadowed by military service row
Version 2: The players' apologies are now reported in more detail, including Lee Ki-hyuk's and Park Seung-soo's full social media statements, the Korea Football Association has apologised and said it will strengthen character and ethics education for national team players, and more opposition lawmakers have joined calls to overhaul the military service exemption, alongside fresh attention on archery gold medallist Kim Je-deok's salute and his description of his service as a special service rather than an exemption.
In short
South Korea's under-23 team beat Japan 1-0 in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, on Oct. 3 to win a fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold, with Eom Ji-sung scoring. The win was followed by a controversy over players' remarks on the military service benefits that come with the medal: captain Lee Ki-hyuk said “I don't go to the army” and Yang Min-hyuk said he played looking only at the exemption. Lee, Yang and Park Seung-soo apologised on Oct. 4, the Korea Football Association apologised, and opposition lawmakers called for the exemption to be reconsidered.
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South Korea's under-23 football team beat Japan 1-0 in the men's final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Oct. 3 at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, with Eom Ji-sung scoring in the 15th minute of the second half, Chosun Ilbo and Yonhap reported. It was South Korea's fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold and a record seventh title, Yonhap and Newsis said. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
The celebration was followed by controversy over how players spoke about the military service benefits attached to an Asian Games gold medal. Captain Lee Ki-hyuk said in a broadcast interview that without the gold he would have had nine days left before enlisting and that the exemption was especially pressing for him, then raised the medal and said “I don't go to the army”, Yonhap and Asia Economy reported. Yang Min-hyuk said the medal or trophy did not matter and that he played “looking only at” the exemption reward, and Park Seung-soo, who plays for Newcastle, posted a photo of himself wearing a discharge cap, the outlets reported. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
Lee apologised on Oct. 4 after the team returned through Incheon International Airport, saying he should have weighed his words as captain and had not taken the duty of national defence lightly, Newsis, Yonhap and Asia Economy reported. In a social media post he said he had focused on the benefits out of “momentary happiness, dopamine and excitement” and would keep reflecting on having spoken too lightly, Newsis reported. Yang said his meaning had been misdelivered and apologised to those hurt and disappointed, while Park deleted the photo and said he had not intended to mock those serving or to take the national team badge lightly. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo criticised the remarks on Facebook, asking whether the army is a hateful place and saying he was appalled at the awareness of players wearing the national team badge, and called for the Asian Games exemption to be reconsidered, Yonhap and Asia Economy reported. Yonhap reported separately that voices in the party sought an overhaul of the system, and Maeil Business reported that five-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won cited BTS having carried out military service and called for talks on fundamentally reorganising the arts and sports exemption. Democratic Party lawmaker Yeom Tae-young criticised the opposition for turning the episode into a political fight, Maeil Business reported. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 ]
The Korea Football Association apologised for the players' careless remarks and said it would strengthen character and ethics education for national team players, Maeil Business reported; a Newsis headline referred to conduct-management efforts. Maeil Business and Korea Economic Daily also reported attention on archery gold medallist Kim Je-deok, who saluted at the men's recurve team medal ceremony on Oct. 2 in Okazaki and said he was serving as a social service agent: “It is not an exemption but a special service,” he said, describing fixed working hours and discharge at the end of the term. [ 9 , 10 , 12 ]
Why it matters
The episode has put South Korea's Asian Games military service exemption — a factor in how it builds football and baseball squads — under renewed political scrutiny, with opposition lawmakers calling for the system to be reconsidered or fundamentally reorganised. The players' apologies and the football association's pledge to strengthen character education show how quickly a gold-medal result turned into a debate about duty and fairness. No change to the exemption rules has been reported.
Key facts
- South Korea's under-23 team beat Japan 1-0 in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's football final on Oct. 3 at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, with Eom Ji-sung scoring in the 15th minute of the second half. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- It was South Korea's fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold and its record seventh title. [ 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Captain Lee Ki-hyuk said in a post-match broadcast interview that without the gold his enlistment would have been nine days away and that the exemption was especially pressing for him, then said “I don't go to the army”. [ 4 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- Yang Min-hyuk said he played “looking only at” the exemption reward, and Park Seung-soo, who plays for Newcastle, posted a photo of himself wearing a discharge cap. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Lee Ki-hyuk apologised on Oct. 4 after the team returned through Incheon International Airport; Yang Min-hyuk and Park Seung-soo also apologised, and Park removed the photo. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo criticised the remarks on Facebook and said the Asian Games military exemption should be reconsidered; five-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won called for discussions on fundamentally reorganising the arts and sports exemption system. [ 4 , 6 , 9 ]
- The Korea Football Association apologised for the players' careless remarks and said it would strengthen character and ethics education for national team players. [ 9 , 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- South Korea beat Japan 1-0 in the Asian Games men's football final on Oct. 3 at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, with Eom Ji-sung scoring in the 15th minute of the second half. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- The gold was South Korea's fourth consecutive in Asian Games men's football and its record seventh title overall. [ 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Captain Lee Ki-hyuk said he had been nine days from enlistment without the gold and said “I don't go to the army”. [ 4 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- Lee Ki-hyuk apologised on Oct. 4 after returning through Incheon International Airport with the team, saying he should have weighed his words as captain and had not taken the duty of national defence lightly. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Yang Min-hyuk and Park Seung-soo also apologised, and Park deleted his photo of himself wearing a discharge cap. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo criticised the players' remarks on Facebook and called for the Asian Games military exemption to be reconsidered. [ 4 , 6 , 9 ]
- The Korea Football Association apologised for the players' careless remarks and said it would strengthen character and ethics education for national team players. [ 9 , 10 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the calls to overhaul the military service exemption are a party-wide position of the People Power Party. Yonhap's follow-up describes voices within the party, while the earlier report attributes the criticism to individual lawmakers' Facebook posts; no formal party position is stated in the documents.
- The Korea Football Association's full statement. Yonhap's article is cut off after the opening words of the association's statement; Maeil Business summarises it as an apology and a pledge to strengthen character and ethics education, and a Newsis headline refers to conduct-management efforts.
- Which players beyond Lee Ki-hyuk, Yang Min-hyuk and Park Seung-soo were involved. Yonhap and Asia Economy refer to “some players'” careless remarks and conduct but name only these three.
- Whether the Asian Games military service exemption rules will actually change. The documents report only calls for reconsideration and fundamental reorganisation from opposition lawmakers, with no government decision.
- Chosun Ilbo's headline says Lee Ki-hyuk also expressed regret that the South Korean flag was not properly unfurled at the ceremony. This appears only in the headline; the article summary supplied with the document does not elaborate, and no other outlet reports it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- South Korea beats Japan 1-0 in the Asian Games men's football final at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Oct. 3; Eom Ji-sung scores in the 15th minute of the second half. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Newsis reports from Incheon International Airport that Lee Ki-hyuk apologised after returning with the team on Oct. 4. [ 2 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports Lee Ki-hyuk's public apology, quoting him saying he is sincerely sorry. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap publishes a full account of the controversy, the players' interviews and their apologies. [ 4 ]
- Yonhap reports that voices within the People Power Party are calling for reform of military service exemptions. [ 5 ]
- Asia Economy reports the remarks, the political reaction and the players' apologies. [ 6 ]
- Newsis reports the players' social media apologies in detail, including Lee Ki-hyuk's and Park Seung-soo's statements. [ 7 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo reports the series of apologies under the headline about the team disappointing fans. [ 8 ]
- Maeil Business reports renewed attention on archer Kim Je-deok and lawmaker Na Kyung-won's call for a fundamental reorganisation of the exemption system. [ 9 ]
- Newsis reports the football association's statement in its follow-up on the controversy. [ 10 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports on Oct. 5 that Kim Je-deok's salute and his “I am also in military service” comment drew attention amid the row. [ 12 ]