South Korea's culture minister signals military service exemption for champion athletes will be scaled back after Asian Games row

From the Newshound archive · first published 7 October 2026.

Minister Choi Hwi-young told the National Assembly on Wednesday that the exemption scheme covering athletes and artists "will inevitably have to be scaled back." The controversy was triggered by comments from three South Korean men's football players following their 1-0 Asian Games final victory over Japan. Under the existing scheme, which dates to 1973, Olympic medallists and Asian Games gold medallists may replace full conscription with three weeks of basic training. Ordinary South Korean men, BTS members among them, are required to serve between 18 and 21 months.