This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
May 7, 2020
Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min has completed his three-week mandatory military training in South Korea.
As part of his training, Son learned various skills including rifle shooting and discipline education.
He was pictured wearing a bulletproof helmet and carrying a gun, as well as wearing bulletproof camouflage gear and holding a rifle.
Other aspects of his service included exposure to tear gas and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear exercises.
Men in South Korea are obliged to complete 21 months of national service before the age of 28, but Son earned an exemption after captaining his country to victory in the 2018 Asian Games.
However, he still needed to serve for three weeks after returning to his homeland in March.
Spurs crashed out of the Champions League and FA Cup in Son's absence and lost five of their six games without him, drawing the other.
His return to first-team action cannot come soon enough for Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho, who faces an uphill battle to close the four-point gap on fifth-place Manchester United and secure qualification for next season's Champions League.
