Ko Sung Hyun to apply for early discharge

Korean veteran Ko Sung Hyun is expected to apply for an early discharge from his military service, according to an article this week from Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.  With his gold medal in the men’s team badminton event at the Incheon Asian Games, he is now eligible for exemption from the remainder of his term with the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps.

Photo: Badmintonphoto

The Yonhap article explains that while an Olympic medal or an Asian Games gold had long been tickets to exemption from possible future military service, the law was changed in 2010 to allow athletes who won exemption-yielding medals while serving to apply for early discharge, something that was not possible for the many athletes who won gold in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, for example.  The only affected badminton player, however, will be Ko Sung Hyun (pictured), as Son Wan Ho and Yoo Yeon Seong finished their 21 months of service on the very day they contributed to Korea’s 3-2 victory over China in the men’s team final.  Four additional members of the team – Kim Sa Rang, Kim Ki Jung, Lee Dong Keun, and Jeon Hyeok Jin – earned their exemption from future service.