On October 3, the U23 South Korean national football team won its fourth consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games. U23 captain Lee Ki-hyuk's post-match comments about military service exemption drew criticism from Korean media, but for the player himself, it was truly a career lifesaver. Originally, Lee Ki-hyuk had just nine days remaining before mandatory enlistment, but the gold medal exempts him from military service and allows him to pursue a career overseas.

According to Korean media reports, Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), the most experienced captain among players born in 2000, was the one among the 20-member squad who most dramatically realized the "dream" of military service exemption. Before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lee Ki-hyuk was not initially considered a representative-level player, but was unexpectedly selected for the World Cup squad and gained recognition by playing as a starting defender.

At the time, U23 head coach Lee Min-son, who was considering wildcard selections, selected Lee Ki-hyuk as one of the wildcard players (up to three could be called up) during the World Cup and decided to award him the captain's armband. Although Lee Ki-hyuk was unable to play in all matches due to an unexpected foot injury, he returned just in time for the final and contributed to the team's victory.

Lee Ki-hyuk had originally applied for the third round of the 2026 Military Sports Special Talents selection and was scheduled to enlist before the major tournament. Despite having experience as a national team player, only four candidates from that selection were chosen as special service soldiers, and his elimination in the final round became a major topic in Korean football at the time. Later, the truth emerged that he had been unfairly rejected due to a scoring error by the military sports unit, causing even greater controversy. Had he not won the Asian Games, he would have had no choice but to play for Geumjeong Sangmu and serve his military duty. Lee Ki-hyuk is now seen as formally pursuing overseas play, a longtime dream.

According to Korean media reports, Lee Ki-hyuk's first words after the victory were, "I don't have to go to military service."

After the awards ceremony, Lee Ki-hyuk spoke to reporters in the mixed zone with a beaming smile, displaying his gold medal to the camera while loudly declaring, "I'm not going to military service!" Considering he would have had to enlist nine days later without the gold medal, this statement perfectly captured the urgency he felt during the tournament.

When asked about the situation, Lee Ki-hyuk also revealed a joke he shared with his teammates. "For the players, this was an important match for military service exemption, but for me, enlistment was imminent, so I jokingly kept emphasizing this to my teammates," he said.

He added, "My teammates also gave their all, repeatedly saying, 'If Lee Ki-hyuk didn't win the gold medal today, he would have to enlist in nine days.'" In fact, the gold medal was a common goal for the entire national team, but for Lee Ki-hyuk personally, winning this gold medal was directly connected to his imminent military service obligation.

AI翻訳。

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