Tottenham star Son Heung-min to start 3-week military training

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min will take part in a three-week basic training for mandatory military service required by South Korea, sources familiar with that matter said Thursday.

He is exempt from conscription but will receive the training at a Marine Corps camp on Jeju Island from April 20.

All able-bodied South Korean men must serve active duty for at least 18 months, but athletes who win gold at the Asian Games or a medal of any color at the Olympics can complete a basic training and community service instead.

Son was given the exemption in 2018 when Korea won the Asian Games soccer gold. After the training, he has to finish 544 hours of community service in teaching soccer to the underprivileged, among other assignments.

He returned to Seoul Saturday from London as the English Premier League was suspended until at the end of April because of COVID-19. It is unclear when the League would restart. If it resumes and his team calls him back, he could reschedule the basic training.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)