Asian Games Gold Brings Exemptions for 9 K Leaguers
Korea’s U-23 national team beat Japan 1-0 in the final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Toyota Stadium in Japan on the 3rd, becoming the first side to win four straight Asian Games men’s football titles. Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City) scored the precious winner. Of the 23-man squad, 20 players will receive military service exemptions, with the other three having already completed their service with Sangmu. Nine of them play in the K League 1: Lee Ki-hyuk and Shin Min-ha (Gangwon), Kang Sang-yoon and Choi Woo-jin (Jeonbuk), Hwang Do-yoon and Park Seong-hun (Seoul), Kang Min-jun (Pohang), Park Kyung-seop (Incheon) and Choi Seok-hyun (Ulsan). Wildcard pick Lee Ki-hyuk, in particular, has resolved his military obligation and can now focus on his career.
Source: Star News
Gangwon’s Kang Seong-yun Rises After Release
Gangwon FC defender Kang Seong-yun’s journey is drawing attention. A Konkuk University product, Kang joined Daejeon Hanana Citizen in 2024, but when Daejeon’s B team was disbanded in July 2025 and he became a free agent, he decided to quit football. Persuaded by those around him to keep going, he played for K4 League side Pyeongtaek Citizen FC and K3 League side Dangjin Citizen FC before head coach Chung Kyung-ho brought him to Gangwon this summer. With Lee Ki-hyuk and Shin Min-ha away at the Asian Games, he made his K League 1 debut as a starter against Jeju SK, and in the 0-0 draw with Incheon on September 27 he came on for the injured Park Ho-young, completing 87% of his passes over 56 minutes to help keep a clean sheet.
Source: Interfootball