Korean athletes achieved remarkable results during the Asian Games, but the military service exemption granted to gold medalists is receiving a mixed response from the public. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – Following the Hangzhou Asian Games, which captivated the nation with a gold-medal performance from the men’s soccer team in a thrilling victory over Japan, attention is now turning to the bestowal of honors.
Korean athletes achieved remarkable results during the Asian Games, but the military service exemption granted to gold medalists is receiving a mixed response from the public.
Some argue that it’s natural to reward them for their contributions, while others remain skeptical about the military service exemption incentive introduced during the country’s developmental stages.
For the national soccer team, 20 out of 22 players, excluding two who have already completed their military service, qualify for the special exemption from military service.
In addition, in the realm of esports, which was an official event at the Hangzhou Asian Games, a total of six players, including Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker), were granted military service exemptions as the national esports team secured the gold medal in the League of Legends (LoL) competition.
The rationale behind granting military service exemption to gold medalists is their contribution to enhancing national prestige. The issue lies in the ambiguous criteria for assessing this contribution.
In particular, an ongoing debate about fairness continues. Some argue for the necessity of establishing a legal basis for granting military service exemption to artists in the film and music industries who perform on the global stage.
A prime example is the globally renowned K-pop band BTS. Despite their significant contribution to enhancing Korea’s national prestige, they are not eligible for military service exemptions.
According to a report released last year by the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, a research unit under the umbrella of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a single BTS concert creates an economic ripple effect ranging from 619.7 billion won to 1.22 trillion won.
As controversy flares up regarding military service exemptions, the range of events eligible for such exemptions is narrowing. For instance, in the field of arts, the number of events qualifying for military service exemption declined from 148 in 2008 to 36 this year.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
