Will World Cup players be exempt from military duty?

By Kang Shin-who

Staff reporter

Whenever Korean athletes make outstanding performances at international sports events, a sensitive issue surfaces: the exemption of players from completing mandatory military service.

Right after the South Korean football team secured their ticket to the round of 16 at the South African World Cup, the chief of the football organization said he plans to propose the government to revive the exemption of the players from military duty.

Cho Chung-yun, chief of the Korea Football Association, said, "What the players want is to be exempted from their military duties."

His remark is causing a fresh round of disputes on the Internet.

In Korea, all able-bodied men over 20 are required to serve in the military for about two years under the country's conscription system. Olympic medalists and gold medalists from the Asian Games have been exempted from the national service.

Back in 2002 when Korea and Japan co-hosted World Cup games, Korea advanced to the second round.

With the festive victorious mood, Seoul revised the law to relieve national footballers from military duty if their team reached the second round of the World Cup.

Thanks to the amended rules, the national team including Park Ji-sung, were exempt from military service. Following the precedent, the government also passed a waiver to baseball players who advanced to the final four in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2006.

However, the revised rule was reversed in 2007 due to negative public sentiment. Hence, baseball players participating in the WBC last year were not exempt from the duty, although they reached the final.

Those who agree with the special benefit say the players will be able to extend their career prospects and further contribute to the country in the future. However, opponents claim that military service is a sacred duty that no man should be exempt from due to a one-time athletic performance.

"I don't think it is right to give a waiver to players only in popular sporting events such as baseball and soccer. It is very unfair for players in other not so popular sports," said an Internet user, with the ID 'nij.'

월드컵 선수들 병역면제 될까?

한국 운동선수는 국제 대회에서 혁혁한 공적을 이루면 민감한 문제 하나가 표면에 나타난다. 즉 병역의무의 면제다.

한국팀인 남아공 월드컵에서 16강에 오른 직후 축구협회 회장은 정부에 이 병역면제 문제를 건의할 계획이라고 밝혔다.

조중연회장은 “선수들이 원하는 것이 병역의무 면제”라고 말했다.

그의 말은 인터넷에서 새로운 공방을 야기시켰다.

한국에서는 건장한 남자는 20세가 넘으면 모두 병역 징집제도에서 약 2년의 병역 복무를 하는 것으로 돼 있다. 올림픽 메달리스트들과 아시안게임 금메달리스트들은 이 병역의무를 면제 받아왔다.

한일 양국이 월드컵을 공동으로 열었던 2002년으로 거슬러 올라가 보면 한국은 16강에 진출했다.

축제분위기에서 정부는 월드컵에서 16강에 진출하면 축구선수들에게 병역을 면제해 주기 위해 관련법을 개정했다.