Son Heung Min to start national service training this month

Apr 03, 2020 06:00 am

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung Min will report to a marines boot camp later this month to fulfil national service duties, a report said yesterday.

All able-bodied South Korean men are obliged to serve in the military for nearly two years, making up the bulk of Seoul's 600,000-strong forces - who face off against North Korea's army of 1.3 million.

But Son was spared a career-threatening stint as a conscript when South Korea took gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, earning the team an exemption.

The Spurs star broke down in tears of joy after the 2-1 extra-time win over Japan, which meant he could fulfil his obligations with just three weeks' basic training and around 500 hours of community service.

Son will report to a marines boot camp on the island of Jeju on April 20 for his basic training, an industry source told the Yonhap news agency.

The English Premier League is postponed until at least April 30 because of the coronavirus pandemic. - AFP