'Success belongs to athletes alone, not the public'
'Solution lies with the president — amend the decree'
People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo urged the government Wednesday to abolish the military service exemption granted to Asian Games gold medalists, saying "the time has come to end it."
Ahn made the call in a Facebook post addressed directly to President Lee Jae Myung, writing that the decision rests with the president.
Targeting the South Korean football team, which drew controversy after players performed a "discharge cap" celebration following their gold medal win at the Asian Games, Ahn acknowledged the victory as "clearly a valuable achievement" but stressed that "this achievement must not translate solely into personal gain for the individuals involved."
He added that "now that South Korea's standing in the world has changed, overseas success and commercial gains that come with a military exemption are nothing more than a benefit for the individual athlete — not something the entire public shares in."
Ahn acknowledged that "protecting athletes' careers" is often cited as the rationale for the exemption, but drew a line there, saying "career interruption is a problem every young person in this country faces equally."
He went on to ask, "Wouldn't the young soldiers right now carrying out search and alert duties on the front lines also want to work and build their careers?" He added that in the past, the exemption could be justified on the grounds of enhancing national prestige.
But Ahn pointed to how times have changed, saying "the era when a gold medal directly translated into an improved national image or greater national interest has passed," and that "BTS and Lee Chan-hyuk, among others, have continued to elevate the country's standing and bring great joy to the public even after completing their military service."
Turning to President Lee directly, Ahn said "the solution now lies in the president's hands," noting that eligibility for assignment as arts and sports personnel is governed by Article 68-11 of the Enforcement Decree of the Military Service Act.
He added that "even without going through the National Assembly, the gold medal exemption can be removed simply by amending a presidential decree." He said he believes "President Lee's decision — from someone who opposed a military exemption for BTS — will help ease the sense of deprivation and loss felt by our youth and contribute to moving South Korea toward a fairer and more just society."
Ahn noted that during the 2021 presidential election campaign, Lee had said of the BTS exemption controversy that "in terms of fairness, it is best to refrain from exemptions as much as possible," and urged him to "now show that promise through action."
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