"No More Need for Special Military Benefits in This Country"... Petition Calls for Abolition of Athlete and Entertainer Exemptions

Military Benefits Under Fire Amid Asian Games Controversy
"A Culture Where Service Is a Source of Pride Must Be Fostered"

Amid controversy over remarks made by some members of the South Korean men’s football team regarding military service following their gold medal win at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, a petition has emerged calling for an end to the military service exemption system.

Petitioner: "Military Service Privileges Are No Longer Persuasive to the Public"

At the Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 3rd, the final match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's soccer between South Korea and Japan took place. The Korean players, who won the gold medal, are celebrating their victory. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to the National Assembly's public petition website on October 6, a petition entitled “Abolishing Military Exemptions for Artists and Athletes” was posted the previous day.

The petitioner stated, “I am submitting this petition to reform the exemption system for artists and athletes in line with the changing times, in order to raise the morale of service members and make fulfilling one’s military duty a source of pride.”

The petitioner added, “In the past, artists and athletes who internationally raised South Korea’s profile during its developing country era were granted military exemptions. It is undeniable that this system acted as a major incentive for musicians and athletes who achieved notable results in prestigious competitions such as renowned music contests, the Olympics, and Asian Games.”

He continued, “In the meantime, the world has changed and we now live in a new era. South Korea has become a global economic and military powerhouse, and the Korean Wave is sweeping the world. The public no longer sees a convincing reason to grant special exemptions from military service to a handful of winners in a few competitions simply for elevating national prestige.”

The petitioner went on to question, “If the argument is truly about elevating national prestige, can anyone deny that young people like BTS would be more deserving than winners of the Asian Games, whom most people in the West neither know nor pay attention to?”

He further insisted, “This country no longer needs special privileges for military service. In order to create a culture where everyone fulfills their military obligation fairly and proudly, and can be proud of it, the military service exemption system for artists and athletes must be abolished.”

The current petition has received 100 approvals, making it eligible for further review. The National Assembly is now considering whether to make the petition public. If disclosure is approved, the agreement process will resume through the National Assembly’s e-petition website. If the petition receives the support of 50,000 people within 30 days of posting, it will be forwarded to the relevant standing committee in the National Assembly.

Military Exemptions Discussed after Winning Gold...Controversy Over Players' Remarks

Apology statement posted by Minhyuk Yang on Instagram.

Previously, South Korea’s men’s football team defeated Japan 1-0 in the final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on October 3 and took home the gold medal. The dramatic victory against Japan was widely celebrated, but controversy emerged afterward as some players directly mentioned their military exemptions or posted related content online.

Team captain Lee Gihyeok (Gangwon) said in a broadcast interview after winning the gold medal, “If we hadn’t won the gold, I would have had only nine days left before enlisting after returning to Korea. For the players, a military exemption was extremely important in this tournament, and for me, it was an immediate reality.” He continued, “I was desperate and earnest. My heart was heavy, but it’s meaningful that I was able to put down that burden.” He then smiled and, while holding up his gold medal, said, “I’m not going to the army.”

Asian Games men's football national team player Seungsoo Park (Newcastle). Instagram

Yang Minhyuk (Westerlo), who played as a starter in the match against Japan, said, “I didn’t really care about the medal or trophy. The reward of a military exemption was all that mattered to me, and I think I played the game with that as my only goal.” Park Seungsoo, who plays for Newcastle in the Premier League, also fueled the controversy by posting a photo of himself wearing a “discharge cap” on social media after winning the gold medal. As criticism mounted, the players eventually issued a public apology, stating, “We sincerely apologize.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.