Japan also delivers harsh criticism: "Korean players were excessively candid"... Remarks on 'military service exemption' draw attention, "In the end, Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) stepped in"

*This content was translated by AI.

Japan has also taken notice of the controversy surrounding remarks made by Korean players regarding military service exemptions.

On the 4th, Japan's Nikkan Sports reported, "A scandal erupted after a South Korea U-23 football player stated in an interview that he was 'only looking at the military service exemption,' adding that the president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee also delivered harsh criticism, saying that 'the dignity befitting national team players is necessary.'"

The outlet noted that South Korea achieved a four-time consecutive championship by defeating Japan 1-0 in the men's football final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at Toyota Stadium on the previous day (the 3rd).

However, it pointed out that "an excessively candid remark made by a player immediately after winning the championship is causing controversy in South Korea."

In particular, Nikkan Sports focused on introducing the remarks of Yang Min-hyuk (Vestelo).

Yang started the final match and contributed to South Korea's victory by delivering the cross that led to the winning goal.

However, his remarks regarding military service benefits in an interview immediately after winning the gold medal sparked controversy. Successive criticisms emerged that such expressions were reckless, as they seemed to focus solely on individual military service benefits rather than the sense of duty for wearing the national emblem or the achievements of the country and team.

Ultimately, Yang posted a lengthy apology statement on his personal social media. He bowed his head, saying, "I sincerely apologize for disappointing and causing discomfort to many people with my remarks regarding the Asian Games."

Nikkan Sports explained that Yang also expressed satisfaction with the joy of winning and his contribution to the team's victory through his play. However, it simultaneously reported that expressions such as "'medals or trophies were not important'" amplified the controversy.

Another "rising star" in Korean football, Park Seung-soo (Newcastle), also faced criticism after posting a photo of himself wearing a military discharge cap on his personal social media.

The military service exemption itself granted to players who win gold medals at the Asian Games is not the issue.

However, some fans have continued to view the situation unfavorably because national team players appeared to excessively highlight military service benefits over the achievements of the country and team immediately after winning the championship.

As the controversy continued, Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, also spoke out.

Yoo (Chairman) explained, "We conduct extensive education at the athletes' village. We are also carrying out various training on personal cultivation, social media, and interview skills," adding that "however, it is practically difficult to control every single player's remarks."

He continued, "While one might think of these as individual expressions reflecting players' personalities, there are also cases where remarks emerge that do not align with public sentiment," stating, "We may not be able to pre-control players' remarks or actions, but we will strengthen education at the athletes' village regarding the attitude and communication methods required of national team players, as well as social media usage."

He emphasized, "While respecting each player's individuality, we will continue related education and support to ensure they possess the attitude and dignity befitting national team representatives."

Japanese media also prominently introduced Yoo Seung-min (Chairman)'s remarks. Nikkan Sports described the situation as developing into a response from the head of the Korean sports community, stating that "excessively candid remarks made immediately after defeating Japan to reach the top for four consecutive tournaments have escalated."

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*This content was translated by AI.