Bayern defender Kim Min-jae completes military service online
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
South Korean defender Kim Min-jae, who plays for Bayern Munich, has found a way to fulfill his mandatory military service while continuing to play for his club and national team, reports Bild.
Kim completed most of his mandatory military training before joining Bayern. In South Korea, all men are required to serve in the military, but elite athletes can complete their service in a reduced format: instead of 18 months, they only need to serve 540 hours.
The defender spent three weeks in South Korea, undergoing the same basic training as other conscripts. Now, he has 100 hours remaining, which, thanks to a special decree, will be completed online.
Kim will be required to spend 1-2 hours a week speaking with South Korean youth. This format is a huge relief for him, as military service can be physically demanding.
“The basic military training wasn’t very helpful for my physical condition; after that, I was in very bad physical shape,” Kim previously stated.
As a reminder, in 2020, another South Korean star, Tottenham forward Son Heung-min, also completed his mandatory military service.
