Lee Kyung-kyu reprimands Asian Games football team's military service remarks: "They should say they played for honor and country."

Lee Kyung-kyu expressed a critical stance on the remarks and actions related to military service by some players of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men’s soccer team. On the 7th, in a video released on his YouTube channel ’God Kyung-kyu,’ Lee Kyung-kyu said regarding the controversy over the soccer team players’ military service, ″That is something the players should discuss among themselves,″ and added, ″Even if that is the case, it should not be talked about in interviews.″ He emphasized, ″They should say they played for honor and for the country.″ Referring to player Lee Young-jun, who was discharged from Gimcheon Sangmu, Lee Kyung-kyu said, ″He was discharged but came running from Europe to win a gold medal. The pinnacle of sports is the medal.″ He also added, ″To say that players won such medals to avoid the military...″ He pointed out, ″It doesn’t matter whether they are young or old. It is very wrong.″ Lee Kyung-kyu stated, ″How do the Gimcheon Sangmu players watching the interviews feel? They are currently playing while receiving a salary of 1.5 million won in the military; how envious must they be?″ He said, ″There are several areas in our country that should not be touched. The military is a sensitive matter.″ Regarding the opinion that players should receive interview training, Lee Kyung-kyu said, ″If training worked, it would have been done already,″ and added, ″I think it is a matter of attitude. I am not qualified to say this, but attitude is the most important. The young players who played in this Asian Games made mistakes, but I hope it becomes a lesson for them to think, ’Ah, I need to be careful.’ They must be reflecting a lot.″ Earlier, team captain Lee Ki-hyuk said immediately after winning the gold medal, ″If we didn’t win the gold medal, I had only 9 days left before enlistment,″ and declared, ″I am not going to the military.″ Yang Min-hyuk said, ″Since there was a reward of military exemption, I think I played the game just focusing on that.″ Park Seung-soo posted a photo wearing a discharge cap on social media and was criticized. All three players later apologized for their reckless remarks and actions. Meanwhile, in the men’s soccer final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, South Korea defeated Japan 1-0 to win the gold medal. Following this, public opinion on the military service special exemption system for the arts and sports fields continued, and on the 7th, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul stated at the National Assembly Defense Committee audit, ″The Ministry of National Defense’s goal is to gradually reduce and ultimately abolish the military service special exemption system.″