April 23, 2020
South Korean soccer superstar Son Heung-min, who currently plays for Tottenham Hotspurs started his three-week marine boot camp training since the Premier League is currently on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.
All able-bodied South Korean men must serve a mandatory two years in the military before the age of 28. However, Son became exempt from military service during the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia when he and his teammates won the gold medal.
Mandatory conscription of South Korean males between the ages of 18 through 28 has existed since 1957. This is due to the fact South Korea is technically still at war with North Korea since a peace treaty was never signed. Although Son Heung-min is exempt from military service, he is still required to attend three-weeks of boot camp for basic training.
Son Heung-min has become a South Korean cultural phenomenon in the last few years. He recently became the first Asian player to score 50 goals in the Premier League. Son scored nine goals this season with a whopping nine assists in just 21 appearances, according to The Stats Zone.
The South Korean superstar’s most recent notable appearance was in February when he battled Aston Villa. Son fractured his arm during the early minutes of the match but still went on to finish the game and score two goals while he was at it.
Feature Images via football.london & Politico