SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean government signaled on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, that it will review and potentially scale back or abolish military service exemptions for athletes and artists. The move follows public criticism regarding comments made by members of the men’s national soccer team after their 1-0 victory over Japan in the Asian Games final last weekend. Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young stated to a National Assembly committee that the alternative service system must be reconsidered to reflect changing public perceptions of fairness.
Under current law established in 1973, South Korean Olympic medalists and Asian Games gold medalists are permitted to substitute mandatory military service with supplementary service, which includes three weeks of basic training. Most South Korean men must start 18 to 21 months of service by age 28. The policy has faced renewed scrutiny as other prominent figures, including members of the K-pop group BTS, have been required to fulfill their full military obligations.
The recent debate was triggered by remarks from soccer players following their championship win. Yang Min-hyuk, who assisted the winning goal, stated that he played the game focused on the "reward of a military-service exemption" rather than the medal itself. Team captain Lee Gi-hyuk held his gold medal and said, “I’m not going to the military,” while midfielder Park Seung-soo posted a social media image wearing a cap associated with soldiers who have finished their service. While all three players subsequently apologized, the comments drew criticism from political figures such as Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party and former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min.
This policy review affects a group of citizens including professional artists and athletes. In the recently concluded Asian Games, 16 baseball players, three esports competitors, and the men’s soccer team qualified for exemptions. For an individual athlete, the shift from supplementary service to full enlistment represents a loss of professional competition time. Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna confirmed during a press briefing that the ministry has plans to "cut back or scrap" these supplementary services.
The next steps involve a review by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Defense Ministry. Minister Choi described the scaling back of the system as "inevitable." The outcome will determine the legal obligations for the next generation of South Korean competitors. It was not reported whether any changes would be applied retroactively.