'World Cup National Team' Lee Ki-hyeok, Unexpectedly Rejected from Military Manpower Administration Special Duty: Did His Multi-Position Versatility Backfire?

*This content was translated by AI.

'World Cup National Team' Lee Ki-hyeok (26, Gangwon FC) has been excluded from the final selection for the Military Manpower Administration Special Duty Program. Despite being a top-tier player in K League 1 over recent years, his career spanning center-back, full-back, and midfielder — a 'multi-position' background — may have worked against him during the selection evaluation.

On the 6th, Lee Ki-hyeok did not appear on the final list of successful candidates for the third round of the 2026 Military Manpower Administration Special Duty Program released by the Military Manpower Administration. A Gangwon FC official also confirmed Lee's rejection to StarNews on the same day.

At first glance, this result was unexpected.

Over the past three seasons, Lee Ki-hyeok has grown from a key player for Gangwon to one of the most prominent figures in K League 1. He appeared in 35 league matches during the 2024 season, recording four assists, and played 31 matches last year. This season, as Gangwon climbed to fourth place in the league, he featured in 19 matches, helping drive the team's upward momentum.

Lee Ki-hyeok's greatest strength lies in his ability to play multiple positions. Originally a midfielder, he expanded his range into defense, covering not only center-back but also left full-back and defensive midfield roles. His versatility allowed him to be deployed in various positions depending on the team's needs, providing significant support to Gangwon. This season, he has been playing as a starting center-back, delivering stable defensive performances.

However, while his multi-position capability was an asset at his club, it may have paradoxically worked against him during the Military Manpower Administration Special Duty selection process.

The football-specific Military Manpower Administration Special Duty Program selects candidates by subdividing positions. Evaluations reportedly do not simply sum total match minutes across all positions but instead calculate performance records based primarily on time played in the position applied for.

A football industry official told StarNews, "I understand that the Military Manpower Administration Special Duty selection is evaluated by Military Manpower Administration examiners," and added, "It is believed that match minutes are assessed separately by position."

Notably, it is understood that during the evaluation, match minutes in specific positions carry absolute weight in the overall scoring.

As a result, even though Lee Ki-hyeok accumulated significant total playing time, his records were split across center-back, full-back, and midfielder roles, potentially leading to lower evaluations.

Previously, Lee Hee-gyun of Ulsan HD also faced controversy after being rejected from the Military Manpower Administration Special Duty selection for similar reasons.

Another point of regret is that Lee Ki-hyeok's recent national team career was not reflected in this evaluation. The football category assesses performance records from the past two years and national team experience from the past year. While applicants can submit documentation for national team, reserve squad, university, or youth representative appearances, actual match participation during the specified period remains the core criterion.

Lee Ki-hyeok made his A-match debut in July 2022 during the EAFF E-1 Championship match against Hong Kong. However, he did not appear for the national team again for approximately four years.

Then, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he was unexpectedly selected by former coach Hong Myung-bo and returned to the national team. He was included in the final roster and started all three group stage matches as a starting center-back.

However, the evaluation period for Mo Jip-ui (CEO) team experience ended before Lee Ki-hyeok's World Cup selection. Since his inclusion in the World Cup squad and actual match appearances occurred after the evaluation deadline, his most significant national team career was not reflected in this selection.

Multiple factors — including record dispersion due to multi-position play and the exclusion of national team experience from the evaluation period — appear to have led to Lee Ki-hyeok's absence from the final successful candidate list.

However, opportunities for Lee Ki-hyeok have not completely disappeared. The Military Manpower Administration Special Duty Program allows applications up to age 27. Born in July 2000, Lee Ki-hyeok can apply again in next year's recruitment cycle.

A football industry official stated, "In the next recruitment round, Lee Ki-hyeok's World Cup participation may be included in the Gyeong Ryeok-i (CEO) team evaluation," and added, "This could potentially give him a more favorable position in terms of scoring compared to this time."

Another possibility for receiving military service benefits remains. Lee Ki-hyeok has been selected as a wildcard for the Asian Games football national team, which will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, this September. If the South Korean national team, led by coach Lee Min-seong, wins the gold medal, Lee Ki-hyeok will also become eligible for military service benefits.

Meanwhile, according to a football industry official, other successful candidates in this Military Manpower Administration Special Duty selection included Eo Jeong-won (Pohang Steelers), Seo Myeong-gwan (Ulsan HD), and Jang Min-gyu (Jeju SK).

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*This content was translated by AI.