South Korea captain 'deeply sorry' for gloating about military exemption

South Korea Asian Games football captain Lee Gi-hyuk apologised on Sunday after boasting that his gold medal meant he would avoid military service. South Korea beat hosts Japan 1-0 in the men’s final in Toyota, near Nagoya, to win a fourth straight Games title. Lee said he was caught up in the moment and deeply regretted his thoughtless remarks and behavior.

Lee Gi-hyuk is 26 and plays as a defender in the domestic K League.

South Korean men are usually required to serve 18 months to two years in the military before age 28.

Asian Games gold medalists and Olympic medalists receive a military-service exemption after only weeks of light basic training.

Asian Games football is contested by under-23 squads, with three overage players allowed.

Lee also played in South Korea’s World Cup campaign in North America, where the team exited in the group stage.

Published Oct 4, 2026 7:09 pm KST

South Korea's Lee Ki-hyuk passes the ball during the men's football quarterfinal match between South Korea and Vietnam at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium, Nagoya, Japan, Oct. 25. Yonhap

South Korea's Asian Games football captain apologised on Sunday for boasting that his gold medal meant he did not have to do military service.

South Korea defeated hosts Japan 1-0 on Saturday in the men's final in Toyota, near Nagoya, for their fourth Games title in a row.

Afterwards, Lee Gi-hyuk smiled as he held up his gold medal to reporters and said: "I'm not going to the military."

Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to perform between 18 months and two years of military service before the age of 28.

But the government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with an exemption, meaning they will carry out just weeks of light basic training instead.

Exemptions are a sensitive topic in South Korea, and athletes usually shy away from talking about it.

The 26-year-old Lee, a defender who plays in the domestic K League, apologised for "the thoughtless remarks I made and the way I behaved after the match, things I should not have said or done, both as captain and as a player".

In a statement on Instagram he said he was "caught up in the happiness, adrenaline and excitement of the moment".

"I am deeply sorry to the fans who are currently fulfilling their military duty, as well as to all those who sincerely supported us," he said.

"As an adult I should have thought carefully before speaking. I deeply regret having spoken so carelessly, and I will continue to reflect on my actions.

"I sincerely apologise to all the fans who have supported us wholeheartedly and who are doing their utmost to fulfil their military duty."

Asian Games football is contested between under-23 squads, but three overage players are allowed.

Lee played in South Korea's disastrous World Cup campaign in North America, when they went out in the group phase.

The golfer Tom Kim also earned a military exemption after winning gold at the Asian Games on Saturday.

韩国亚运会足球队队长李基赫周日就其吹嘘金牌可让他免服兵役一事公开道歉。韩国队在名古屋附近的丰田市举行的亚运会男足决赛中以1比0战胜东道主日本队，连续第四次夺得亚运会冠军。李基赫表示，他当时情绪激动，对自己轻率的言论和行为深感后悔。

李基赫今年26岁，在韩国K联赛中担任后卫。

韩国男性通常需要在28岁之前服役18个月至2年。

亚运会金牌得主和奥运会奖牌得主只需经过几周的轻度基础训练即可获得兵役豁免。

亚运会足球比赛由23岁以下球队参加，允许有三名超龄球员。

李也曾代表韩国参加北美世界杯，但韩国队在小组赛阶段就被淘汰了。

发布于2026年10月4日晚上7:09（韩国标准时间）

2026年爱知-名古屋亚运会男足四分之一决赛，韩国队李基赫在韩国对阵越南的比赛中传球。比赛于10月25日在日本名古屋瑞穗公园橄榄球场举行。（韩联社）

韩国亚运会足球队队长周日就其吹嘘自己获得金牌就无需服兵役一事道歉。

周六，韩国队在名古屋附近的丰田市举行的男子单打决赛中以 1-0 击败东道主日本队，连续第四次获得奥运会冠军。

随后，李基赫面带微笑地向记者们展示他的金牌，并说道：“我不会去服兵役。”

身体健全的韩国男性通常需要在 28 岁之前服 18 个月至 2 年的兵役。

但政府对获得亚运会金牌和奥运会奖牌（无论奖牌颜色）的运动员给予豁免，这意味着他们只需进行几周的轻松基础训练即可。

在韩国，豁免权是一个敏感话题，运动员通常都不愿谈论它。

26岁的李是一名在韩国K联赛踢球的后卫，他为“我赛后发表的轻率言论和行为方式道歉，这些话和行为我作为队长和球员都不应该说或做”。

他在 Instagram 上发表声明称，他“沉浸在当下的快乐、肾上腺素飙升和兴奋之中”。

“对于目前正在服兵役的歌迷，以及所有真心支持我们的人，我深感抱歉。”他说。

“作为成年人，我说话前应该三思。我对自己如此草率的言论深感后悔，我会继续反省自己的行为。”

“我真诚地向所有全心全意支持我们的歌迷道歉，也向那些正在尽全力履行兵役义务的歌迷道歉。”

亚运会足球比赛由 23 岁以下球队参加，但允许有三名超龄球员。

李在韩国队参加北美世界杯的比赛中表现糟糕，韩国队在小组赛阶段就被淘汰出局。

高尔夫球手汤姆·金在周六的亚运会上获得金牌后，也获得了军人豁免权。