Son Heung-min will be a happy man.
Not only is Son Heung-min an Asian Games champion with South Korea but the Tottenham Hotspur attacker is also going to be given an exemption from his country’s military service as a result.
Son was instrumental in his nation’s 2-1 victory over Japan in West Java, laying on the assist for the second with a floating free-kick before sinking to the ground in what appeared to be relief as the rest of his teammates celebrated wildly.
The Taegeuk Warriors went into the game knowing that only gold would exempt the squad from military service – a mandatory two-year stint required of all able-bodied citizens of the country – and it is reported that this possibility was the only reason Son’s club, Tottenham, granted him permission to leave.
Having claimed victory in a ludicrously tense encounter, he will now be able to see out the full extent of his contract in the Premier League, free of worry over being called up to the military.
South Korea finished second to Malaysia in their group, after a surprise 2-1 defeat in the second group game which prompted severe criticism of the team’s manager.
They went on to defeat Iran, Uzbekistan and Vietnam before facing and claiming victory against the Samurai Blue at the Pakansari Stadium in Cibinong.
