Military Exemption and National Security

The 17th Asian Games held in Incheon, concluded in October. Korea finished in second place as many athletes won medal. The young male athletes, who won gold medals, were especially happy about the military exemption that comes with winning a gold medal.

According to current law, male athletes who win a medal in the Olympics or a gold medal in the Asian Games can complete their military service with just one month of basic training. Numerous star players have received this benefit which allowed them to continue building their sporting careers rather than having to join in the two-year military service.

The public does not favor the privilege as many people think baseball players got the military exemption too easily, after winning five games against low-level teams in this year’s Asian Games. As early as the selection of players who can join the national team, many fans believe that there were special considerations given to players who desperately want to get exempted from the duty. Some players even said that they will play hard to help all the national team members get the privilege. All these made many people including baseball fans criticize the current reward system for male medalists.

In response, the baseball community even appealed to the public saying players did their best in the field to win the games for the pride of Korean baseball and not just for the privilege. But still, many people were upset about it.

The controversy reflects how most people feel about military service. For most Korean men, military service is a huge burden. They have to stop whatever they are doing and spend about two years in the military.

In the case of athletes, a two-year hiatus would be very detrimental to their career. They need to have constant training and play in the games for them to be successful. That? the reason why many star players desperately want to be picked for the national team and become medalists.

The military exemption is enforced by law so technically, it is legal for athletes to get the privilege.

However, the reason why the Constitution states mandatory military service for all Korean men with should also be considered. People should not think about Korea’s current situation lightly. Technically, the two Koreas are still at war as a permanent peace treaty has yet to be signed. The North Korean artillery guns are always pointed at key targets in the South. Military tension is constant, occasional gunfire exchanges occur and moreover, the North has not given up its intent to develop nuclear weapons.

This is the security situation in the Korean peninsula, which makes national defense based on the current conscript system critical. It is not necessary to panic about a possible war in the future, but just thinking nothing serious would happen is totally different from being always ready and still hoping peace would be achieved.

In that sense, military service should not be taken lightly and getting exemption should not be one’s goal. Military service is something a Korean citizen should be proud of and even respected.