Public sentiment regarding the military exemption system has soured following a controversy involving the South Korean men's soccer team at the Asian Games. A recent survey revealed that 70% of respondents support reforms to the military exemption system.
According to a poll conducted by Realmeter from October 12 to 14, commissioned by Energy Economy News, 41.1% of participants believe the eligibility criteria for the military exemption system for arts and sports should be narrowed, while 32.6% advocate for its complete abolition. Only 21.5% support maintaining the current system.
The current military exemption system applies to individuals who win a bronze medal or higher at the Olympics or a gold medal at the Asian Games, as well as winners of international arts competitions.
By age group, 46.6% of respondents in their 50s and 45.6% in their 60s favored narrowing the criteria, while 35.7% of those in their 30s and 40s preferred complete abolition.
Among the 18 to 29 age group and those over 70, the percentage supporting the maintenance of the current system was higher, at 26.5% and 26%, respectively.
More than half of respondents, 52.4%, supported an immediate abolition of military exemptions for the Asian Games through a presidential decree, while 37.9% opposed it. The revision of the presidential decree can be made unilaterally by the executive branch without requiring legislative procedures.
The decline in public support for the military exemption system was exacerbated after the South Korean men's soccer team celebrated their gold medal win at the Asian Games. Player Park Seung-soo posted a photo wearing a military cap on social media, while Lee Gi-hyuk raised his gold medal and exclaimed, 'I’m not going to the military.' Yang Min-hyuk also faced criticism for reportedly aiming for military exemption during the competition.
In response to the backlash, the players apologized for their thoughtless remarks. The Korea Football Association stated it would work to manage the players' conduct more effectively.
Some observers have expressed concern that the players are facing excessive criticism. They argue that demanding the revocation of military benefits based on comments made in the heat of the moment is excessive. Others suggest that rather than targeting specific players, the focus should be on reforming the military exemption system, which is a recurring source of social conflict.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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