Korean football is looking for a lift at the Asian Games in Japan next week after a poor World Cup year. The men’s U-23 team, coached by Lee Min-sung, is chasing gold partly because it can exempt players from mandatory military service. Korea is in Group D with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and the team’s recent form has been shaky after a semifinal loss to Japan at the Asian Cup in January.
Korean men's national football team players gather in circle before practice at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, Sept. 1. Yonhap
Korean football needs some good news after this year's terrible World Cup. The Asian Games start next week in Japan and it remains to be seen if this is going to be a repeat of what happened in Mexico or something much better.
For the men's team, this is not that far behind the World Cup in terms of importance. The multisport event is second only to the Olympics in terms of size and offers a similar perk for the players — success can bring an exemption from Korea's mandatory military service.
Win any medal at the Olympics or gold at the Asian Games and you are freed from the 18 to 21 months of military service, apart from a few weeks of basic military training. It is a big deal, especially for football players.
