The Spurs’ youngster might have forced the entire country to change its policy on mandatory military service exemptions after some blunt comments over the weekend
A Tottenham Hotspur player has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after seemingly angering an entire nation. Yang Min-hyeok signed for Spurs in 2025 from Gangwon FC, and has spent the last 12 months on loan at various clubs.
He currently finds himself on loan at Belgian club Westerlo, and has worked his way into the South Korean national side at the age of just 20. However, for most Koreans at that age, military service is non-negotiable, and can see them involved in a minimum of 18 months mandatory service.
But there is a way out – as successful sports men and women can be exempt from it if top awards and domestic or international honours are won.
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They will still have to do a two-week stint, but the exemption from full service is something many welcome.
However, thanks to Min-hyeok, South Korea is now considering scrapping the exemption altogether after he made comments post-Asian Games gold medal win earlier this month.
He said: “We were being compensated, and the compensation was military exemption, so it feels like we played with that one thing in mind. Honestly, whether it was a trophy or a medal wasn’t important.”
And just days later, he was forced to apologise with a lengthy statement on social media, writing: “Hello, this is Yang Min-hyeok. I am sincerely sorry for causing disappointment and discomfort to so many people with my remarks regarding the Asian Games.
“Participating in the Asian Games as a representative of South Korea held great significance for me, and as an athlete, I naturally gave my all with the goal of winning the championship and the gold medal. However, I failed to properly convey that the military service exemption was merely one of several motivators – alongside the desire to achieve great results – that drove me forward.
“Regardless of my original intent, it is clearly my fault that my words caused discomfort and made it appear as though I took the significance of the gold medal lightly as a national team athlete. I recognise that the gold medal was not something simply guaranteed; it was an achievement made possible only through the hard work and support of many people.
“Furthermore, I never intended to belittle or mock the efforts of those currently fulfilling their military service obligations or those who will do so in the future. I sincerely apologise to everyone who was hurt or disappointed by my thoughtless remarks. Moving forward, I will strive to make amends not only through my words but by demonstrating a better attitude and a greater sense of responsibility on the field. My sincere apologies.”
According to Yonhap news, South Korean National Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna confirmed that they now have plans to “cut back” or scrap entirely the two-week service, which could pave the way to many South Korean stars being forced into full military service regardless of on-field achievements.