What's in an exemption — will Asiad glory really benefit Korea's young football stars?

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What's in an exemption — will Asiad glory really benefit Korea's young football stars?

Published: 10 Oct. 2023, 17:46 Updated: 12 Oct. 2023, 08:38

PAIK JI-HWAN
paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr

From left: Hong Hyun-seok, Paik Seung-ho, Cho Young-wook, Jeong Woo-yeong, Lee Kang-in and An Jae-jun [YONHAP]

The U-24 Korean national team’s 2-1 victory over Japan in the final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Saturday gave the Korean players not only a shiny gold medal, but also a very shiny military exemption.

Korea beat Japan 2-1 to take Asian Games football gold

The military exemption went to 20 of the 22 players and could play a significant role in their future careers, especially as football players operate on directly negotiated contracts where the looming specter of up to two years in the forces could seriously impact work opportunities.

Two players — goalkeepers Lee Gwang-yeon and Kim Jeong-hoon — are exceptions, as Lee was already exempt from the mandatory service due to a cruciate ligament injury and Kim has already finished his. Midfielder Cho Young-wook benefits a lot less than everybody else as he is already months into his service, although he will be immediately discharged.

The rest of the players will now have advantage when making career-related decisions, although it will mean different depending on the player and the situation they are in.

Europe-based players

The five Europe-based players will no longer have to worry about a potential interruption to their careers overseas thanks to the military exemption. To some players, it could also mean that they have a greater chance of moving onto greener pastures.

Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain

Lee Kang-in was perhaps the biggest name on the U-24 team and drew a lot of attention during the Asiad, as he had just moved to PSG this summer. Although he actually had a fairly quiet Asiad, he is now free to not only stay at PSG until his contract expiration in 2028, but he might also have the chance to move to bigger clubs in the near future as his value has likely gone up and he has always garnered a lot of interest.

Jeong Woo-yeong of VfB Stuttgart

Having left a strong impression at the Asiad as top scorer, Jeong will likely play more games at VfB Stuttgart than he did at SC Freiburg and may be given a more offensive role. Goal involvement stats at VfB Stuttgart with the military exemption may allow him to return to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, which he left after only making two appearances.

Hong Hyun-seok of KAA Gent

A midfielder who can play defensively like veteran midfielder Lee Jae-sung, Hong could be a replacement for Lee at the national team as he will also likely make more caps. Improving his defensive factors further will be his main task for moving to a bigger club, despite the military exemption. Hong has already seen some interest since joining Belgian side, scoring an insane bicycle kick in his very first game.

Lee Han-beom of FC Midtjylland

Defender Lee Han-beom, who moved to Danish club FC Midtjylland a month before the Asiad began, showed a solid performance at the tournament which could allow him to be a regular pick at the Danish club — where he has yet to make his debut. Being able to pursue his career uninterrupted could also pave a path to one of the major European leagues in the future.

Park Kyu-hyun of SG Dynamo Dresden

A versatile defender who displayed a good performance at the Asiad could be the next Kim Young-gwon — a veteran defender who has over 100 caps — for the national team. An aggressive defender who's years in Europe are already obvious as he goes toe-to-toe with some of the more physical opponents, Park has the potential to hold his own in a bigger league — and now there's nothing stopping him from doing so.

Asia-based players

For players based in Korea, the military exemption means could mean a greater chance of moving to European or establishing themselves as regular picks at their respective clubs. That has not necessarily panned out for the class of 2014 and 2018, however, so an exemption is by no means a ticket to a new contract.

Paik Seung-ho of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Il Capitano himself, Paik has to be one of the favorites for a European move, especially because he already has the experience. A product of the Barcelona academy, Paik is a Spanish-speaking Europe-trained midfielder who never quite found his feet. Two years with Jeonbuk, however, seem to have changed that, and Paik not only captained the Asian Games squad, but also played in the Qatar World Cup. The 26-year-old reportedly recently rejected a contract extension with Jeonbuk, making it highly likely that a return to Europe could be on the cards.

Cho Young-wook of Gimcheon Sangmu (FC Seoul)

Cho Young-wook is currently playing for military club Gimcheon Sangmu but will be headed straight back to FC Seoul now he has been discharged. He managed four goals during the Asiad and has scored 13 goals in the K League 2 this season, suggesting he could be a target for someone if the price is right.

Park Jin-seob of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

The Jeonbuk defender displayed an impressive performance as a wildcard pick at the Asiad. He could potentially receive some offers from European clubs in the upcoming winter transfer window, but considering the 27-year-old has been one of the best Jeonbuk players this season, the club might keep him until next summer. Age could also be a factor — if it's going to happen for Park, he better hope it happens soon.

An Jae-jun of Bucheon FC 1995

The 22-year-old forward scored two goals at the Asian Games and has managed eight goals in the K League 2 this season, which could make him an option worth considering for a team in one of Europe's less glamorous leagues looking for a bargain with some genuine potential.

Um Won-sang of Ulsan Hyundai

With seven national team caps, 27 U-23 caps and two goals at the Asian Games, Um could be a contender for a move next summer. He scored 12 goals last season and has played as a regular starter for Ulsan, and could potentially be an option for a mid-table team looking for a winger with goal-scoring potential.

Song Min-kyu of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

The Jeonbuk winger displayed an aggressive performance at the Asiad and has performed well at his club this season. More often picked as a substitute, Song is as likely to get in a scrap or two as he is to set up a play. There are plenty of leagues where that's a desirable talent though, so he could still have options overseas.

Min Seong-jun of Incheon United

Goalkeeper Min has not been a regular pick at Incheon this season, but being able to pursue his career uninterrupted offers him a chance to move to a different K League club where he may play more games and improve himself. Realistically, Min is unlikely to make the jump overseas anytime soon as he still lacks experience here and only played a bit part in the Asiad.

Goh Young-jun of the Pohang Steelers

The Steelers midfielder managed one goal and four assists at the Asiad, but he also showed that he needs to improve his cross and pass accuracy. Further improving those factors in the K League could help his chances, but he may not have many more chances to prove his potential.

Seol Young-woo of Ulsan Hyundai

The Ulsan fullback will likely establish himself as a regular pick at the national team, as he was called up for Korea’s October friendlies. Displaying his speed and one-on-one defending skills in the K League, AFC Champions League and Asian Cup through next year will raise his potential, although it will take the right team to really consider a bigger move.

Lee Jae-ik of Seoul E-Land

Having shown at the Asiad that he has potential to be a solid defender, Lee's military exemption comes very early in his career. Still playing for a K League 2 side, it's far too early to tell whether Lee has what it takes to go big, although the K League 1 could come calling.

Choi Jun of Busan I Park

The 24-year-old defender is also based in the second division, but the win and the military exemption might at least help him return to the top tier. He joined Ulsan in 2020, but has not played in the first division since that year.

Hwang Jae-won of Daegu FC

The Daegu defender was involved in two crucial goals in the Asiad final against Japan. Having shown good moves in attack, he might be given a more offensive role at Daegu that will allow him to further develop his attacks and move to a bigger K League club or overseas. Daegu likely hope he's flown far enough under the radar to stay put, but the right scout could see something there.

Kim Tae-hyeon of Vegalta Sendai

Currently on loan to Japanese second-division side Vegalta Sendai, Kim's first objective is probably to make it back to Ulsan and establish himself as a regular pick there. Hoping for anything more than that is probably a little optimistic at this stage, but a return to the K League could be on the cards next season.

Jung Ho-yeon of Gwangju FC

The 23-year-old midfielder showed a solid performance at the Asiad, but his stats in the 2023 K League — two goals and four assists in 29 matches this season — suggest a move to greener pastures is fairly unlikely any time soon.

Bak Jae-young of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

It's probably not worth contacting your bookie just yet to bet on Park transfer rumors. The 23-year-old forward only moved to Jeonbuk in July and has not yet established himself as a serious presence at the club. He's unlikely to be on the move any time soon, although if he is it probably won't be good news.

BY JIM BULLEY AND PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]