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Tottenham striker Son Heung-min is in the army now

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has found an interesting way to pass the time during the curren...



Tottenham striker Son Heung-mi...
Soccer

Tottenham striker Son Heung-min is in the army now

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has found an interesting way to pass the time during the current lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The striker joined up with the 9th Brigade of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps on Monday morning, as reported by the local Yonhap news agency.

It is the beginning of a three-week stint of military training for the Tottenham sharphooter on the southern island of Jeju.

It is mandatory for all South Korean men to serve two years in the armed forces but Son was given an exemption after winning gold with the South Korean national team at the Asian Games in 2018.

All males who win gold for South Korea at the Asian Games or else a medal of any colour at the Olympic Games receive exemptions from conscription.

The 28-year-old will now just have to complete the basic training and 544 hours of community service over the next 34 months while continuing as an active professional athlete.

Son hasn't kicked a ball since February after he fractured his arm in Premier League action against Aston Villa.

He underwent surgery in his home country before returning to London at the end of February and then by the end of March he was back in Korea where he had to remain in quarantine for 14 days.

Son will be in the boot camp until 8 May and he asked supporters and journalists not to show up there so as to respect the Korean government's social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Son Heung-min is up for basic military training in April," his agency said on his official Facebook account this month.

"We have decided to not open to the public in active compliance with the government’s measures on the Covid-19.

He will return to Tottenham at the end of his national service next month.

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