[Anchor]
A total of 57 athletes are set to receive military service exemptions through this Asian Games, but controversies have flared up following inappropriate behavior by several players. The Ministry of National Defense has stated that it will ultimately pursue the reduction or abolition of the system.
Reporter Choi Jae-yeong reports.
[Reporter]
[Lee Gi-hyuk / Captain, Asian Games Men's National Football Team (October 3): "I am not going to the military."]
Asian Games gold medalists posted photos on social media wearing reserve discharge caps or stated in interviews that they "only competed looking at the reward of military exemption."
The public reaction has turned frosty toward their playful and thoughtless remarks, which treated mandatory military service lightly.
Expressing "deep regret," the Ministry of National Defense announced that it will overhaul the military service exemption system.
[Jeong Bit-na / Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson (October 6): "Taking comprehensive consideration of equity and fairness, the declining pool of military manpower resources, and public consensus, we will ultimately incorporate the reduction and abolition of supplementary service, including arts and sports personnel, into the basic defense reform plan..."]
The Military Manpower Administration is currently conducting a research study on measures to improve military service benefits in the arts and sports fields.
The findings are expected around November 15, and given the reality of declining military manpower, authorities are widely expected to take decisive action, particularly regarding the sports sector.
A government official stated, "A consensus has formed toward phasing out the system for the sports sector."
In the arts sector, the threshold has already been raised by reducing the number of qualifying competitions from 148 in 2008 to 35 currently.
In contrast, the sports sector has maintained the same criteria since 1990: finishing in third place or higher at the Olympics or winning first place at the Asian Games.
As the dominant view in political circles also frames this as a matter of fairness, such as equity with pop culture artists, moves to revise related laws are expected to gain momentum.
The military service exemption system, which has been in place for 53 years, now stands at a crossroads of survival, beginning with the sports sector.
(Video by Kim Hyeon-sang | Video Editing by Park Chun-bae | Design by Lee Jong-jeong | Video Sources: X (@wiriness), Instagram playkfa)
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