Tottenham’s Son Heung-min picks perfect time to complete military service

With football in extended limbo, Tottenham’s Son Heung-min will complete his mandatory four-week military service in South Korea, picking an ideal time to honour the commitment. 

Son flew to South Korea from London last week and is finishing his mandatory 14-day quarantine before being able to enter the general public in Seoul. Military service is obligatory for all South Korean men. One is usually expected to complete 21 months, but Son earned an exemption when he led South Korea to the Asian Games title two years ago.

Now fully recovered from a fractured arm, Son decided smartly to complete the compulsory service during the Premier League’s forced suspension. This way it won’t affect Tottenham or his professional playing career.

Additionally, Son is probably safer in South Korea, a country that, after a fairly severe original outbreak, has handled the potentially deadly spread of coronavirus exceptionally well. South Korea’s trace, test and track method has mitigated the severity of coronavirus significantly, keeping their death toll (186) comparatively low.

Son will return to Tottenham upon completing his military service in May. The South Korean won’t miss a beat, as the Premier League has no intention of resuming play before then.

There is much speculation about whether the season will be able to resume again at all. That decision won’t be made for another few weeks, but players, supporters and owners won’t be surprised to hear of the season’s ultimate cancellation.

Here’s the club statement regarding Son’s military service:

"“The Club can confirm that Heung-Min Son will commence his mandatory military service in South Korea this month.“The forward arrived back in his home country at the end of March where he is currently in quarantine. Our medical staff are in regular contact as he concludes his recovery after fracturing his arm in our 3-2 win against Aston Villa on 16 February and continues to train.“Son had surgery on his arm in South Korea before returning to the UK at the end of February to continue his rehabilitation, prior to the initial announcement of the professional game in England being suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Premier League has since announced that the 2019/20 season will only return when it is ‘safe and appropriate to do so’ and is under constant review.”"