'What national glory?' — housing perks for medalists spark fresh backlash

A controversy over military service exemption remarks and discharge-cap photos by players on South Korea's gold-medal men's football team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has spilled over into a broader debate about fairness in the country's special housing supply system.

Online communities and social media platforms were buzzing Wednesday with news that medal-winning athletes at international competitions can qualify for the "special housing supply for outstanding athletes" program, fueling public sentiment that the benefits extended to medalists — military exemptions, pension bonuses and now priority access to apartments — have gone too far.

One internet user shared a photo of national football team player Park Seung-su wearing a military discharge cap and wrote, "By winning gold, he's now eligible for special supply in the apartment subscription system." The user added, "I don't understand why we have to give priority housing just because someone supposedly brought glory to the nation," and criticized: "Pensions, apartments — all of it should be abolished. Winning a medal is a personal achievement. What national glory are we even talking about?"

Under the current Rules on Housing Supply, athletes who finish third or higher at the Olympics, the International Vocational Skills Olympics, world championships and other qualifying international competitions are eligible for the institution-recommended special supply category. The rules also cover competitions organized by the Asian Games organizing body in which 15 or more countries participate in team events and 10 or more in individual events.

Sports organizations, including the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, select recommended candidates from among those who do not own homes, based on their results at international competitions.

Some of Seoul's most sought-after apartment developments — including Olympicpark Foreon in Gangdong-gu, where the gap between pre-sale prices and market prices has been especially wide — have allocated units under the outstanding-athlete special supply quota. Qualifying for the program gives athletes a significantly easier path to homeownership in prime locations compared with the general public.

Online users largely agreed that the benefits were excessive, with comments including: "This was created when the country had nothing else to offer as a reward — it's time to get rid of it"; "Scrap all of it"; "It's not the 1980s — this is the moment to reform elite sports"; "Cut the tax subsidies and shift toward recreational sports"; and "It's not like they have to give the money back if they don't win a medal."

Earlier, immediately after the South Korean men's football team defeated Japan in the final on Saturday, team captain Lee Gi-hyeok of Gangwon FC told reporters in an official interview, "I'm not going to the army," while starting player Yang Min-hyeok of Beerschot said he "played with only one thing in mind — the military exemption."

Park Seung-su, who plays for Newcastle United in the English Premier League and has not yet completed military service, drew criticism after posting a photo of himself wearing a military discharge cap on social media. He later apologized, acknowledging the image was inappropriate given those currently serving or who had already fulfilled their military obligations.

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said at a regular briefing Tuesday that it found the players' words and actions "deeply regrettable," and announced plans to incorporate a reduction or abolition of the supplemental service category — which includes arts and sports personnel — into its basic defense reform plan.