ED Special treatment for Sonny

The Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang closed Sunday, with Korea winning 49 gold medals and finishing third overall.

The Korean athletes made an impression in various sports, such as gymnastics and cycling. The two Koreas also marched together at the opening ceremony and produced joint squads in women's basketball, canoeing and rowing, winning four medals as "Korea." But above all, these games will be remembered by many Koreans as the games that enabled football star Son Heung-min to become eligible for exemption from mandatory military service.

The 26-year-old attacker for the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur captained the Korean team to gold in the Asian Games final, leading it to a 2-1 victory over Japan Saturday at the Pakansari Stadium in Indonesia.

As gold medalists at the Asian Games, Son and his teammates will be exempt from mandatory military service. The news prompted Son's team to rejoice on its Twitter account and website with an article entitled" It's gold for Sonny!" International media also reacted swiftly to the news.

Son deserves a pat on the back for his great performance at the Asian Games. He would have had to suffer from a lengthy break from his stellar career had it not been for the gold medal he earned at the Games. However, he has aroused concerns about the exemption from military service. There is also the issue of fairness for outstanding achievers in other fields. And what about all the other young men who sacrifice their personal lives to serve the country?

We are a country technically still at war, and exemption from mandatory military service should not be perceived as a gift.