Korea reviews housing perks for Asian Games medalists after military exemption row
The government is reconsidering priority housing access for international medal winners after public controversy erupted over military exemptions for the men's football squad.
Korean footballers and team staff celebrate after winning the gold medal at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan on Oct. 3.
NEWS1
It turns out that Asian Games gold medalists in Korea get more than just a military service exemption: They can also qualify for priority access to housing, a lesser-known privilege the government is now considering reforming.
Athletes who win gold, silver or bronze at major international competitions — namely the Olympics, World Championships and Asian Games — can qualify for special housing allocations under housing supply rules set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The competitions must attract at least 15 participating countries for team events and 10 for individual events.
The benefit applies to public housing and privately built homes of up to 85 square meters (914 square feet). Applicants can qualify only if no one in their household already owns a home or holds rights to a new apartment through a housing lottery or purchase contract.
“We plan to review the program in response to the controversy,” a Land Ministry official told Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. “The regulations fall under our ministry, but any changes would require discussions with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. We cannot decide this on our own.”
The government has yet to decide whether to limit eligibility, change the selection criteria or abolish the program entirely.
Benefits to medal-winning athletes are facing fresh government and public scrutiny after some players on Korea's gold medal-winning Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 men's football team publicly boasted about their military service exemptions immediately after their victory in the final. One player stated that the exemption was more important to him than winning gold, and another even posted photos of himself in an unofficial military-style cap meant to symbolize his discharge from service.
Still, despite the controversy, a medal at an international competition does not automatically entitle an athlete to a home.
Applicants must first receive a recommendation from the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and then go through a separate housing application process, and generally can only receive the benefit once. The committee then oversees recommendations and recipient selection on behalf of the Sports Ministry.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
