Ki Sung-Yueng was delighted to pick up an Olympic bronze medal- and avoid national service.
All South Koreans must do two years national service before the age of 28 with very few exemptions.
Cha-Du-Ri earned an exemption by reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2002 with an Olympic medal also allowing the players to body-swerve a call up.
Ki’s winning penalty against Team GB gave the Koreans a chance of a medal with last night’s 2-0 win in Cardiff over Japan wildly celebrated.
There was no love lost between the two sides with Ki one of three Koreans yellow carded for fouling Japanese star Yuki Otsu during a 20 minute spell in the first half.
During that period Arsenal’s Park Chu-Young’s held off three defenders before shooting low into the net in the 38th minute with Koo Jacheol doubling the lead in the 57th minute.
While his SPL and Scottish Cup winning medals mean a lot to the midfielder the dividend of avoiding national service on the back of an Olympic bronze delighted Ki and his team-mates.
The Celtic midfielder said: “Military service was something we were all going to have to do, and we are all glad to avoid it, because it means we can play in Europe for longer. It was a big motivation, definitely.”
Goalscorer Park added: “I’m very happy to win the bronze medal and everybody here will now get a new chance by being exempted from military service.
“That’s what I’m really pleased about because that was our aim at the start of the tournament.”
Ki added: “This is the happiest moment of my life,” he added. “We were very tired after the quarter-final, but our mentality to win the game was very strong.
“Normally we pressure in front of the centre circle, but we were tired tonight. We weren’t fresh enough to play that way, so we dropped down a little bit, but we still had quick players up front to hit them on the counter-attack.”
Asked about his future and speculation of a move away from Celtic he added: “I’m not sure, I haven’t heard anything about that.
“I just need some rest now and spend some time with my family, and then I will think about my future.”
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Paradise, the home of Olympians!
Hail! Hail!
Delighted for Ki, we really haven’t utilised his talents to the full…alas it looks like we won’t.
I like Ki but the hurly burly aspect of Scottsh football doesn’t always suit him. Given the strength of depth in Celtic’s midfield,if we ge a suitable offer for him, we should let him go and use the money to bolster defence and attack. Ki will do well in the English Premiership, which is fast but not as frantic as Scottish football.
Great motivational tool for lenny. Sammi 15 plus goals this season son or its the salvation army for you.
Great news for Ki and Celtic.
Hopefully we’ll get more money when we punt him!
Aye, as long as we demand the going rate. For too long the EPL has raved about certain talented Scottish youngsters then offered rotting peanuts for them.
It is time to let them know that because our league is poorer does not mean our players are inferior.
When you see the prices paid for English dodos (hasn’t Rooney, Owens and a few others shown how that level of talent can easily develop down there)and the pittance offered to us, it is time to tell them where to go. I would rather have the value of a players skills and lose him for free than let him go for buttons. Sick to the teeth of English bully tactics.
Wait till that bubble EXPLODES. Govan will seem like a classy resort.
H H
£9M reported kaching! Bite their hand off!