South Korea’s World Cup campaign is officially over after a close defeat to Uruguay on Saturday. However, the debate over the military service waiver for the national team players will likely begin this week.

The issue was first put on the table by Cho Chung-yun, chief of Korean Football Association, last Wednesday.

“What the players want is to be exempted from their military service duty,” Cho told reporters after South Korea drew 2-2 with Nigeria to secure the berth in the second round of the World Cup. 

The head of KFA reportedly told the players in the locker room that he would ask the government to free them from their national service.

The suggestion was backed by the national team captain Park Ji-sung with the English side Manchester United.

“We now have many players with European experience. That certainly makes us strong and sharper,” said Park after the Nigeria game.

The manager Huh Jung-moo also supported the idea saying, “Many players want to play in big leagues in Europe but cannot because of the military service.”

The Defense Ministry, however, said it is a sensitive issue and needs “careful consideration.”

“It requires the revision of the military service law, and we can not do it only because of one single event,” a ministry spokesman told the local media.

However, Chung Mong-joon, FIFA Vice President and former chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, said in a statement issued last Friday that he is in favor of the idea floated by Cho and Huh.

“It’s not fair for the players. We did it in 2002 but why can’t we now? In fact, advancing to the second round in World Cup on foreign soil is great achievement.”

“We need the public’s opinion. I hope we can talk about it more after the World Cup,” he had added.

Under the current law, all able-bodied men aged over 20 have a duty to serve in the military, with the exception of athletes who have claimed either Olympic medals or gold medals in Asian Games.

In the 2002 World Cup, the government exempted the national squad, including Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo, from military service under a recommendation from the football association.

An exemption was also made for baseball players who made it to the semifinals of World Baseball Classic in 2006.

But later in 2007, the government overturned the decision due to mounting criticism and negative pubic sentiment. Last year, when Korea finished second in the WBC the military service exemption was mentioned again, but the government ruled it out.

Among the current 23-man national team squad, 15 players including Ki Sung-yueng with Scotland side Celtic and Park Chu-young of AS Monaco, must serve in the military under the current law.

Meanwhile, manager Huh and the Taeguk Warriors left their base camp in Port Elizabeth, South Africa Monday to head home. They are expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport Tuesday at 5:50p.m.

By Oh Kyu-wook