Does Son Heung-min still have to do military service for Korea?

Son Heung-min has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards over the past few years, playing a pivotal role in the Tottenham team.

With South Korean citizens required to undergo military service during their twenties, will Son have to leave Spurs at some point to carry out his mandatory service? Goal takes a look.

Does Son still have to do military service?

No. Son longer has to carry out military service.

In South Korea, able-bodied men must complete mandatory military service for 21 months by the time they turn 28.

Son, who turned 28 in July 2020, was granted an exemption to his service by helping South Korea win gold at the 2018 Asian Games – which meant that he was only required to complete basic training over a shorter period of time.

The forward completed his basic three-week training in Jeju during the first month of the Covid-19 pandemic in April 2020, meaning that he was able to avoid missing any playing time for Tottenham due to the football season being suspended for three months.

Son finished his training in May 2020 in time for the resumption of the 2019-20 Premier League season a month later, telling the Spurs official website of the ‘tough’ conditions: “It’s been a very busy three months.

“It was a good experience.

“I couldn’t say everything that I’ve done but I really enjoyed it. Those guys were nice. The three weeks were tough but I tried to enjoy it. I don’t know how the people felt, but for me the three weeks have been long but it was a good experience, I enjoyed it.

Heung-min Son has finished his military training in Korea – and even received a best performance prize for excelling in his trainee group 💪 pic.twitter.com/oiw91bcM1a

— Goal (@goal) May 8, 2020

“The first day when we don’t know each other was a bit weird but soon we got to know each other. We spent every day together in one room, 10 people very close, working together, we helped each other so the time was fantastic.

“Those guys, the first day and second day they couldn’t even speak to me but by the end they were joking with me and we were enjoying everyone together.”

Over the course of his 21-day training, Son participated in refining his fighting skills and medical training – as well as chemical, biological and radiological training.

Son is also understood to have earned top marks in the regime, earning a 10 out of 10 score in shooting.

“He received the ‘Pilsung’ prize which is one of five types of awards for best performers,” a Marine Corps officer said via the Korea Herald. “‘Pilsung’, which translates as ‘certain victory’, is the battle cry of the South Korean Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.”

He added: “All the courses were judged in a fair and strict manner, and his military training officers have said he went through the training faithfully.”