Tottenham’s Son Heung-min receives ‘best performer’ award as he completes three-week military training
The Spurs forward picked up the award as the top performer among 157 trainees
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min completed a three-week basic military training course in South Korea on Friday and picked up an award as the top performer among 157 trainees, it has been reported.
All able-bodied South Korean men must serve around two years in the military but athletes who win gold at the Asian Games or a medal of any colour at the Olympics receive exemptions.
After completing the training course, Son, who led his country to gold in the 2018 Asian Games football tournament, still has to undertake 544 hours of community service over the next 34 months.
“He received the ‘Pilsung’ prize which is one of five types of awards for best performers,” the Yonhap news agency quoted a Marine Corps officer at the unit on the southern island of Jeju as saying.
“All the courses were judged in a fair and strict manner, and his military training officers have said he went through the training faithfully.”
Trainees are exposed to tear gas, go on hikes and receive weapons training during their stint with the marines.
Son, who was quarantined for two weeks after arriving in Seoul from London at the end of March, completed the training while the Premier League season is suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The forward has not played since fracturing his arm in a league match against Aston Villa on February 16.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments