South Korea captain apologises for gloating over military service exemption
South Korean football captain Lee Gi-hyuk has apologized for insensitive comments regarding his military service exemption following an Asian Games victory. The exemption is a common reward for elite athletes in South Korea, but the public reaction to his gloating was negative.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the cultural sensitivity surrounding mandatory military service in South Korea and the high expectations placed on public figures.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Lee Gi-hyuk plays his club football for Gangwon FC
South Korea captain Lee Gi-hyuk has apologised for gloating about avoiding mandatory military service after winning gold at the Asian Games.
His side beat hosts Japan 1-0 in the final and, afterwards, Lee held up his gold medal and triumphantly announced he was "not going to the military".
In a social media post reported by local media, , external the 26-year-old later said he was "deeply sorry to the fans who are currently fulfilling their military duty, as well as to all those who sincerely supported us".
South Korean males are, in most circumstances, required to undertake between 18 and 21 months of active military service before the age of 28.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in