"I won't be going to the military": Does Lee Ki-hyuk's slip of the tongue derail his "life-changing" story? His return to the national team remains "uncertain"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

It was truly a "life-changing" story.

In May, Lee Ki-hyuk (26, Gangwon FC) received a call from Manager Hong Myung-bo and made the final squad for the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup. Since the launch of the Hong Myung-bo era, he had been called up only once in November 2024, and even then, after being excluded from the lineup against Kuwait, he had spent the match on the bench against Palestine. Nevertheless, his performance in the K League, combined with an injury to Kim Ju-sung (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) just before the World Cup, earned him Manager Hong's selection. It was not merely a call-up to the senior national team, but inclusion in the "World Cup final squad," a dream shared by all football players.

It did not stop there. He started every match in the pre-World Cup friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador, and also started all three World Cup group stage matches against Czechia, Mexico, and South Africa. Manager Hong Myung-bo made no changes to the back three consisting of Lee Ki-hyuk, Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland). Lee Ki-hyuk, who had little connection with the national team aside from a surprise call-up by Manager Paulo Bento (Portugal) in 2022, instantly became a starting center-back for the national team on the World Cup stage.

He did not stop there either. He was selected as a "wildcard (over age 24)" for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games and joined Manager Lee Min-seong's squad. He even wore the captain's armband to lead the team, ultimately winning the gold medal. A player who had been virtually unknown made a surprise entry into the World Cup final squad, played in every match, and then stood atop men's football at the Asian Games. Until the final whistle blew in the men's football final, Lee Ki-hyuk's career was certainly not an exaggeration when described as "life-changing."

"I won't be going to the military." This single remark made by Lee Ki-hyuk during a press interview after winning the gold medal in men's football at the Asian Games became a fatal blemish on his preceding "life-changing" story. He was scheduled to enlist in the military a few days later, and while he had earned an exemption from military service due to the Asian Games gold medal, this slip of the tongue made with a bright smile ultimately sparked public outrage. Amidst controversies involving Yang Min-hyuk (KVC Westerlo) and Park Seung-su (Newcastle United U21) over their respective interviews and discharge photos, Lee Ki-hyuk's remark drew even greater criticism given that he was the eldest player and captain leading the national team.

Lee Ki-hyuk repeatedly apologized both at the scene of his return to the country and through social media (SNS). However, recently, the names of three individuals, including Lee Ki-hyuk, were directly mentioned during the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's state audit, leading to demands for the Korea Sports and Olympic Committee to convene an ethics committee to discipline them. Public opinion has largely shifted toward abolishing the military service exemption granted for winning a gold medal at the Asian Games, due to perceptions that he was consumed by the benefit. Indeed, signs of movement are being detected in the National Assembly, Ministry of National Defense, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism regarding the abolition or reduction of the military service exemption for Asian Games gold medals, or delays in enlistment timing.

It is not just that. Lee Ki-hyuk's re-selection to the senior national team has also become a situation where optimism is difficult. Manager Roberto Moreno (Spain) is scheduled to hold a press conference on the 29th to announce the roster for the two-match friendly series against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in Doha, Qatar, next month. Given his track record of starting every World Cup match and leading the team to an Asian Games gold medal, his selection for the senior national team would be a natural progression. However, given the intensity of the critical public opinion, Manager Moreno inevitably faces significant deliberation regarding his selection.

Moreover, from Manager Moreno's perspective, there is no situation where he must select Lee Ki-hyuk despite enduring critical public opinion. With the arrival of Manager Moreno, the national team's tactics shifted to a back four, reducing the number of central defender positions to two. In the four-match A-international series in September and October, Kim Min-jae and Lee Han-beom started together in three out of the four matches. Left-footed center-back Kim Tae-hyun (Kashima Antlers) played in all four matches of the series (starting one match). Kim Ju-sung has also recently recovered from injury and is playing on the J-League stage.

Having already faced fierce criticism for his slip of the tongue, if Lee Ki-hyuk is excluded from the November senior national team roster despite going through the World Cup and Asian Games, his once-noticed "life-changing" story will truly be shattered in a hollow manner. Furthermore, unless he delivers an overwhelming performance that is absolutely essential to the national team, it cannot be guaranteed whether he will ever reconnect with the national team again. It is not a matter of blaming anyone, but for Lee Ki-hyuk, the situation must be all the more bitter.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original